Hearts In Sync
by Untamed Loner
Summary: When Charlie gets called away to testify, Bella moves to La Push where she meets Paul. It doesn't take long for the two to form a bond unlike any other. As Paul convinces her to talk about her past, it becomes clear. She was always meant to be HIS.
1. Chapter 1: Visiting Bella

Revised: 12/8/11

**My darling readers, welcome to Hearts In Sync (fondly referred to in my mind as HIS). I am going to be attempting something rather different than my usual style of work, trying to broaden my writing skills. As a result, I will be taking longer with each chapter, making sure everything is as I want it to be. Bear with me and I'm sure it will be well worth it.**

**Now, let's air a few things out. I am the, slightly embarrassed but, proud**** owner of ****The **

**Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide****. I have done a fair amount of research on each of the characters, and will continue to do so as this story is formed, using said book. That being said, I am changing some of the information given**** within that lovely, not-so-little book. I have this thing, anti-feminist as it may be, about men being older, stronger, taller than women. So, even though Paul is technically three years younger than Bella in Stephanie Meyer's world, he will not be in my ****rendition of Stephanie Meyer's world. Actually, I will be changing quite a bit about the Twilight world as we know it. Not to worry, the most vital information will be the same. I'm just… tweeking some things.**

**We open the curtain, my darlings, at the lowest point in Bella's life. However, you will notice with these first chapters that there is a resounding lack of Bella's POV. And that, my dears, is because Bella's POV will be severely lacking until much later in this story.**

**I think that's enough talk. For now, enjoy the first chapter of Hearts In Sync.**

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter One

**Sam's POV**

"See ya tomorrow, Sam!"

I waved over my shoulder, not even bothering to turn around to see who had called out to me. My body ached, exhausted after a night of patrols followed by a day of hard manual labor at the construction site. I threw my hard-hat into the opened window of the cab of my red '78 F150 and sighed in relief as I opened the door and slid behind the wheel. The old girl fired up with a soft roar, the rebuilt engine practically purring as I headed back towards La Push and Emily.

As I passed through the western part of Forks, I grimly took in the decorations outside the homes. Ghosts hung from trees, witches cackled under purple lights, and pumpkins sat on every stoop. I growled as I passed one house that had a vampire lying in a coffin, arms crossed over his chest, fangs protruding. Just the thought of those disgusting blood suckers reminded me of one more stop I had to make before going home.

I briefly considered stopping by the next day instead, but decided against it. Emily would be furious if she knew I skipped out, so I turned my truck towards Chief Swan's house.

Unwarranted images flashed through my mind as I drove, forcing me back to that September night when I found Isabella Swan lying in the middle of the woods. She had been so still, if not for my enhanced hearing, I wouldn't have thought she was alive. In my mind, I saw her prone body, lying across the damp forest floor. Her wide brown eyes flickered across a horrific image only she could see, her lips moving rapidly in a silent plea for her dead lover to return, the usual glow that highlighted her cheeks stolen by the cold rain pelting her from above.

The whole pack knew Bella through the Blacks, myself having met her at First Beach with Jacob. She was a shy girl, exceptionally clumsy, and pale as a vampire. From that first meeting I had liked her. She had exuded an innocence that was rare for someone her age. The night I discovered her in the woods by her house, I knew that innocence was no longer in place. Life had completely faded from her eyes, leaving a dull shadow of her former self behind.

I parked my truck in front of the Swans' house, noting that Charlie had left the front porch light on, expecting me. I walked up the front steps and knocked lightly on the door, my ears listening for the two heartbeats inside.

I heard Charlie grunt as he hefted himself from his chair and made his way to the door. The sound of Sports Center played from the TV, talking about some football player that was killing his team's chance at making it to the Super Bowl.

"Sam," Charlie greeted after opening the door.

"Hey, Charlie. She still up?" I asked, noting how tired the man looked.

"Think so. Hasn't started screaming yet," Charlie sighed, stepping back to let me in.

"No change, then?" I questioned, glancing up the stairs.

"I don't know what to do about her. I called Renee, but she wants me to send Bella to live with her. I… I think we might lose her if we moved her away from what's familiar," Charlie confessed, wearily rubbing his face.

Unable to offer reassurances, I simply clapped his shoulder on my way to the stairs. He shuffled his way back to his chair, groaning as he sank into it.

The upstairs was dark as I made my way to Bella's door. Not bothering to knock, I opened the door an inch.

"Bella? It's Sam. Are you still awake?" I asked softly.

Of course, there was no answer. She hadn't spoken since the night I found her. Listening to her breathing, I knew from the light, easy breaths that she was still awake and opened the door further.

Her bedside lamp was on, thanks to Charlie no doubt. She was sitting up in bed, staring straight ahead out the window. Everything was just as spotless as usual, even the covers around her. I could tell she had lost some weight since last week, weight she really couldn't afford to lose. Her hair was tied back, as usual, but it looked like Charlie had managed to get her to shower earlier today. I hid a wince as I glanced into her still lifeless eyes.

"Hey, kiddo," I greeted, pulling up the rocking chair.

She didn't so much as blink.

"Sorry I took so long getting here. The job ran a little late today. We're working on renovating a home from the early forties, updating all the fixtures and such. The woman who owns it reminds me a lot of you," I told her.

Still nothing.

"Em wanted me to invite you to the rez for dinner sometime. She's real eager to meet you," I continued.

As she continued to sit there, completely stoic, I rocked and told her everything I could remember from my week. I had no idea whether she heard me or not, but Charlie said she slept better after my visits. So, to help save this fragile little girl, I babbled on about the rain, my work, and Emily.

I heard Charlie coming up the stairs over an hour later, his footfalls hesitant, hopeful. He took a deep breath before opening the door, his expression wary. His shoulders fell slightly when he saw Bella hadn't so much as changed positions while I was here.

"Time for bed, Bells," Charlie announced, walking in to turn off the lamp.

As if that were her cue, she sank beneath the covers and closed her eyes. Charlie bent over and kissed her forehead before leaving the room. I walked over, kissed her cheek, and followed him out onto the landing.

"So, nothing?" Charlie asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Sorry, Chief," I sighed, clapping his shoulder.

"S'alright. Didn't really expect it, anyway," Charlie admitted, shaking his head.

"I'll come by next Friday," I said as we walked down the stairs.

"Actually, Sam, I wanted to talk to you about something," Charlie started slowly.

I waited for him to continue, frowning slightly as he crossed and uncrossed his arms.

"Look, I wouldn't ask if I had another option, but… I'm going out of town for a couple weeks starting Monday. There's a trial in Seattle that I'm being called to testify in. It's that serial killer from a few months ago. He took that Marshall girl, Katie. Anyway, I can't leave Bella here alone. She might… I just can't do it. I would ask Billy, but he's not exactly capable of helping Bella in her state. I know you have that extra guest room and Emily doesn't work… Is there any chance she could stay with you and Emily? I can pay for whatever she would need while staying. I just need someone to make sure nothing happens to her," Charlie explained painfully.

I nodded slowly, understanding exactly what he wasn't saying. If left on her own, Bella might do something drastic to end the pain she was experiencing. And there was no doubt in anyone's mind, she was going through a mother-load of emotional trauma. The problem was nobody could figure out a reason why except for that the leech had left town.

"I'll have to talk to Emily, but I'm sure she'll agree. What time do you need to leave Monday?" I asked.

"If you two can take her, I'd actually like to leave late Sunday afternoon to get settled in. I could drop her off before I leave town," Charlie offered.

"I'll call you tomorrow and let you know for sure, but that should work out just fine," I agreed.

"Thank you, Sam. Tell Emily I said hello," Charlie smiled weakly as I made my way outside.

"Will do," I called over my shoulder as I made my way to my truck.

The twenty minute ride home to Emily was spent going over patrol routes, finding a way to help Bella come back from the black hole she put herself in, finishing this construction job, guiding Jared and Kim through the imprinting process, and helping Paul keep his temper in check around humans.

But the minute I walked through the front door, everything else took a backseat to my Emily.

"Hi, sweetie. How was your day?" Emily asked with a kiss as soon as I walked in.

"Long. I missed you," I rumbled, breathing in her scent.

"Did you stop by and see Bella?" Emily asked, cuddling into my chest.

I nodded against her hair, closing my eyes as a peace only she could bring settled over me. All the worries fell off my shoulders and I felt light as she led me to the kitchen.

"Paul and Jared came by today after work and stayed for a while. Jared wanted me to tell you he was going to patrol after checking in on Kim. Paul said he was going to come over to watch the game Sunday and Jared's planning on bringing Kim," Emily said, setting down a plate for me.

As I ate, she continued on about her day, mindless chatter that eased all the lingering troubled emotions until I was practically purring with contentment. I grabbed hold of her as she came to collect my plate, pulling her into my lap and nuzzling her neck, kissing her scars on my way. Shudders wracked my body as her slim fingers threaded through my hair and I groaned at the simple pleasure. With a contented sound, she laid her forehead against mine, rubbing our noses together. We sat that way for some time, just sharing breaths.

"Come on," Emily whispered after a while, taking my hand in hers and leading me into the bedroom.

I slowly began to undress her, my touch reverent upon her smooth skin. Her cool touch sizzled against my skin as she returned the favor. Despite my exhaustion, I laid her down on the bed and showed her just how much I needed her, how much I loved her.

After, we laid wrapped in each other's arms, her head resting on my shoulder. My fingers combed through her hair, spreading the silken strands across the pillow. She murmured softly against my skin, snuggling closer.

"Em?" I questioned softly.

"Hmm?"

"Charlie Swan asked me if Bella could spend a few weeks here with us," I told her.

She shifted so her chin rested on my chest, her brows drawn together.

"Why?"

"He has to go to Seattle for a trial and he doesn't want to leave her home alone. He's worried she might… try something," I explained.

"Try something? As in hurt herself?" Emily frowned deeper.

I nodded, watching her carefully.

"Of course she should come stay. The poor girl," Emily clucked.

"You sure you'd be okay with it? She's not good, Em. She doesn't respond to anyone, not even Charlie. She just stays in bed and stares at the wall. I don't think she's really even eating," I said.

"Then this could be a good thing for her. A change of scenery, getting her away from where it happened. Sam, we have to help," Emily insisted.

"You are an amazing woman, Emily Young," I smiled, kissing her.

"Not half as amazing as you," Emily grinned back.

"Way more than me," I argued, moving to hover over her.

"Not even close," Emily breathed as she spread her legs for me.

As I slid inside her warmth, I made it my mission to show her just how amazing she truly was.

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, so that's Chapter One. What do you all think? Let me know! Chapter Two is already written and will be up next week.<strong>

**See you guys next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2: Moving Bella

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Two

**Paul's POV**

"What's cooking?" I asked as I walked into Sam and Emily's home.

Jared and Kim were already there, sucking face on the small couch. I smacked the back of his head as I walked by, earning a growl and a muttered curse thrown at my back.

"What? Not even a hello?" Emily scolded as she pulled something out of the oven.

"Hey, Em. What's cooking?" I smirked, plopping down at the kitchen table.

"Hi, Paul. I'm good, thanks for asking. As for lunch, well, I made sandwiches about an hour ago. Too bad you missed them," Emily informed me with fake regret.

"Now, Em, you and I both know you stashed some of them away for me. You really gonna make me sniff 'em out?" I asked.

"What else is that big thing in the middle of your face good for?" Emily shot back.

"Touché, little lady," I winked, slipping to my feet.

I nosed through the kitchen, discovering a stack of sandwiches in the back of the fridge.

"Jackpot," I grinned, pulling out the plate.

I stood in the open fridge, munching turkey and ham on white while Emily started cutting up something in a pan.

"Wha's 'at?" I asked through a mouthful of food.

"Cobbler for tonight," Emily answered absentmindedly.

"Wha's t'ni'?" I asked, stuffing in another sandwich.

"Bella Swan is coming to stay with Sam and me for a few weeks while Charlie is away in Seattle," Emily replied, putting the cobbler on a plate and wrapping it.

"The leech lover is staying here?" I gaped, my food temporarily forgotten.

"Her name is Bella, Paul, and yes, she's staying here. Sam says she's not doing well and Charlie doesn't want to leave her home alone," Emily explained harshly.

Instead of offering a response, I stuffed another sandwich in my mouth, munching as I thought on what I knew of Miss Bella Swan.

I had only seen her through Sam's thoughts, having never met her personally. Sam and I were rarely phased at the same time, usually only when I suddenly lost control of my temper, but I had phased enough over the past few months to know the night Sam found Bella in the woods haunted him.

From the images of her in Sam's thoughts I knew she was white as snow, had brown hair and eyes, was incredibly shy, and sexy as hell. Her perpetual blush that could be brought on by just a look screamed "good girl" and, well, you know what they say about good girls. They make some mighty fine women.

"What are you smirking about?" Sam glared as he walked in from the back of the house.

"Nothing," I answered quickly, shoving in my last sandwich.

"That was Charlie on the phone. He's bringing Bella by a little early so he can get to Seattle before the traffic hits," Sam told Emily, placing the phone back in its cradle.

"When will he be here?" Emily asked nervously.

"Twenty minutes, tops. Hey. Get outta the fridge," Sam snapped, shoving me out of the way as he pulled out a beer.

"Sure thing, boss," I saluted on my way to the living room, but not before grabbing a drink.

Jared and Kim had stopped sucking face and were currently watching the pre-game show for tonight's football game. Propping my feet up on the coffee table, I settled into the couch, keeping an ear out for the Chief's cruiser.

Twenty minutes later, the sound of gravel crunching had my ears twitching. The car was completely silent, not even the radio was on. Sam came into the living room as the car stopped in the drive, Emily right behind him.

"Behave," Sam warned before stepping outside.

Jared gave me the "he-was-talking-to-you" look to which I responded to with the third finger salute. Kim giggled softly, easily distracting Jared once again. I casually leaned back, internally focused on what was being said outside.

"Good afternoon, Charlie. Bella," Sam greeted.

"Sam. And this must be your Emily," Charlie responded, the sound of gravel crunching as he shifted forward.

"It's so nice to finally meet you both. Sam's told me so much about you," Emily claimed, her smile evident in her voice.

"Need any help with the bags, Charlie?" Sam asked as his and Charlie's footsteps went around to the back of the cruiser.

"Thanks," Charlie grunted, hefting a bag.

"Come on inside, Bella. I'll show you around," Emily offered, stepping closer to the silent girl.

I glanced to the door as the two sets of footsteps made their way up the stairs and into the house. Emily was smiling brightly, the perfect hostess, but my gaze was completely riveted to the tiny girl behind her.

There was no way this was the same girl from Sam's thoughts. The Bella Swan I had seen before had a quiet liveliness to her, the corners of her lips constantly turned up slightly as she watched the world around her. The girl currently standing in Sam and Emily's doorway might as well have been a million miles away. Her eyes were vacant as she followed Emily mechanically. She'd lost weight, her clothes hanging off her slight form. I worried that if Emily breathed too forcefully, Bella would just crumbled into dust at her feet.

"Bella, this is Jared and Kim and Paul's over on the couch. Everyone, this is Bella Swan," Emily made the introductions.

Bella turned, but didn't so much as blink at any of us. Kim and Jared stared, clearly worried and weirded out by the girl in front of them. Neither made a move to greet her. Taking a sip of my drink, I smirked at the tiny slip of a woman.

"'Sup, Swan. Damn, you look like hell," I commented, absently scratching my chest.

"Paul!" Emily reprimanded just before Charlie and Sam walked back in.

"Well, she does. What're you trying to do, become the sickliest looking person alive? Cause I gotta tell you, the whole emaciated look is not really working for you," I told Bella regretfully.

I heard Sam growl, Charlie drop the luggage, Kim gasp, and Jared groan, but I just stared at Bella.

"Paul, stop it," Emily warned dangerously.

"It's clearly not bothering her. Don't worry, Bella, you don't have to pretend with me. Hey, you wanna kill yourself? You should try jumping the cliffs during a storm. If you're lucky, you'll hit the rocks and knock yourself out before you drown, but seriously. It's a damned better idea than slowly starving yourself. Drowning doesn't take nearly as long," I informed her.

The Chief made a choking noise and Sam barked my name, but I ignored them as Bella's eyes finally shifted to me. I nearly choked, unable to breathe as I met her gaze, amazed at how fucking beautiful she was, even like this. My chest physically ached as I realize how sick she clearly was.

Instead of showing my confusion and worry, I gave her a smirk and raised my drink in a salute.

"Hell, Swan, it might even get rid of that stink hanging around you," I said, wrinkling my nose, hoping to see something in her eyes.

"Alright, Paul, enough. Take a walk," Sam ordered, though it lacked the Alpha command.

"Sure thing, boss. See you later, Swan. Remember what I said," I winked, nudging her chin with my fist as I walked past.

Charlie sputtered angrily as I walked by and I bowed my head to hide my smile. Yeah, I might be a bastard, but something told me that's exactly what I needed to be for Bella. She needed someone who didn't coddle her and I was just the guy to do it.

As the door swung shut behind me, I grinned as Emily rushed Bella to the guest room and Sam hurried to reassure a cursing Charlie.

Oh, yeah. I was definitely a bastard.

* * *

><p><strong>Emily's POV<strong>

As I urged Bella down the hallway to show her the guest room, I internally winced at Chief Swan's raised voice. Sam was doing his best to calm the furious man, but Paul had definitely done his best to stir up trouble.

But, then, that was Paul. He strived to cause trouble for others, taking delight in the small amount of havoc he managed to wreak on people's lives. That's not to say he was heartless. Paul was very loyal to those closest to him, as evidenced by the way he always took care of Kim and I.

If there was a light that needed changing or a sink that needed fixing, Paul took care of it without being asked. He made sure Kim had a ride to and from school on days Jared patrolled and couldn't take her. If one of us needed to run to Port Angeles to do a little shopping, Paul went and carried the bags without complaint. I knew Paul did it for Jared and Sam, helping to put their minds at ease when they couldn't be with Kim and I. Paul truly saw the two of them as his brothers and would do anything for them.

So I couldn't figure out why he had been so crude to Bella when he knew how Sam felt about the girl.

"I apologize for Paul's behavior. He's not usually so callous," I told Bella as we walked down the hallway.

There was no response as she walked slightly behind me and to my side, her eyes staring blankly ahead. The emptiness within those brown orbs sent shivers down my spine. I just barely managed to resist rubbing my arms in an effort to ward of the internal chill.

"This will be your room," I showed her, opening the door.

She walked by me, her steps a slow shuffling across the hardwood floors. I followed her, watching as she moved straight to the bed and climbed beneath the covers. My heart broke as she laid there, staring up at the ceiling, arms by her side. I felt as though the cozy room of soft greens and warm browns had transformed into a room as cold as any hospital.

"Holler for me if you need anything, sweetheart. I'll come check on you in a bit," I murmured, unwilling to raise my voice above a whisper, as if I were actually in a sickroom at a hospital.

I received no response as I backed out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind me. I waited there for a few minutes, listening for any movement and hearing none.

I hadn't wanted to believe Sam when he told me Bella was bad off. I couldn't wrap my mind around the thought of someone just sitting in bed day in and day out, not saying a word, just staring ahead. I thought, surely, there must be some point in which Bella spoke or moved, did something other than just breathe. From what I had seen so far, I was beginning to realize Sam had been telling me the absolute truth.

Not that he would ever lie to me, but I had thought he was exaggerating at least a little.

Something had clearly traumatized the poor girl to leave her so broken. And there was no doubt in my mind about that.

Bella Swan was completely broken.

I stood by Sam's side, waiting as Charlie bid his daughter goodbye. From the way he was twitching, I could tell Sam was eager to chase after Paul and set him straight. Only my hand in his kept him calm enough to remain human while we waited.

Jared and Kim sat silently in the living room, pretending to pay attention to the pre-game show on TV. From the way Jared kept nuzzling Kim's neck, I could tell he was deeply troubled by what had just occurred between his pack mate and the girl in our guest room.

Charlie's heavy footsteps sounded down the hallway. As one, Sam and I turned to face him.

"Thanks again for doing this," Charlie mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"It's no problem, Charlie. We'll take good care of her, I promise," I reassured him.

He gave a weak smile in response.

"Don't worry about Paul, Chief. I'll make sure he realizes the gravity of the situation before we let him near Bella again," Sam promised the man.

Charlie swallowed thickly before answering.

"Did… Did you see her? She… She looked… She looked right at him," Charlie whispered brokenly.

My hand tightened around Sam's uncertainly.

"She hasn't looked at… anyone. Not since _he _left," Charlie continued warily.

"That's good, then. She's getting better," I said hopefully.

"Maybe," Charlie nodded slowly, running his fingers through his hair.

"We'll take care of her, Charlie. And if anything happens, good or bad, we'll call you," Sam promised.

Charlie rubbed his face vigorously before nodding again.

"I'd best be heading out. I'll call tonight to check in on her," Charlie informed us.

"Try not to worry about her too much, Chief," Sam said, clapping a hand on the older man's shoulder.

"Right," Charlie laughed humorlessly.

I watched as Sam walked Charlie out, nervously twisting my engagement ring.

"Kim, will you come help me in the kitchen?" I requested, knowing Sam would want Jared for a pack meeting.

"Sure," Kim agreed quietly, following me from the living room.

Shortly after we stepped into the kitchen, I heard the front door close as Jared went outside to meet Sam.

"So… that was weird," Kim began, hopping up on the counter.

"Which part?" I asked with a small smile.

"All of it," Kim snorted.

"That poor girl. I had no idea she was so bad off. Sam told me she wasn't doing well, but I had no idea the damage was this severe," I sighed, pushing hair out of my face.

"I know. Did you see her eyes when she walked in? Talk about creepy! I've never seen someone look so… empty," Kim claimed, voice hushed, eyes wide.

I nodded absently, preparing to make a few loafs of bread for dinner later.

"What did Sam say happened to her?" Kim asked, watching as I started mixing.

"From what he could gather, Bella and the Cullen boy left her house at some point after coming home from school. She left a note on the kitchen table telling Charlie they were going for a walk in the woods and would be back shortly. When she didn't show up, Charlie got worried and called in a search team. Of course, Billy Black was one of the first people Charlie called and he called Sam who called Jared and Paul. When Sam found her, she was freezing, wet, and completely unresponsive. He took her back to her house, but they couldn't find anything wrong. She just retreated into her mind and won't come out," I explained, separating the dough.

"So, obviously, something happened out in those woods that she's not telling," Kim frowned.

"Of course, but no one can get her to speak. Charlie's tried everything. She won't talk. Today was the first day she'd even made eye contact with someone," I informed her.

"Wow. Can you imagine? To be that messed up? I mean, she's acting like someone died, but worse, you know? I mean, even when my grandpa died, my grandma wasn't anywhere near as messed up as that and they'd been together for over fifty years!" Kim insisted.

"I hope she comes out of it soon. Sam says Charlie's really worried about her not making it to the end of the year. She's losing too much weight," I sighed.

"Maybe being here will help," Kim shrugged.

"Maybe," I agreed softly, beginning to lose myself in the kneading.

Bread was easy, simple. If it tore, all you had to do was knead the tear into the middle and it knit itself back together. If only people were so easy to fix.

* * *

><p><strong>The response to last chapter was phenomenal! I'm so glad you guys are into this story! I hope you enjoyed this chapter since we got to see Paul! Yay! <strong>

**Chapter Three will be posted in a week. See you guys then!**


	3. Chapter 3: Feeding Bella

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Three

**Paul's POV**

Staring out over the waves, I felt my brothers closing in. Sam's hostility and anger could not be cut off despite my human form. Jared's concern was duller, making it harder to focus in on what exactly he was concerned about.

But I had a pretty good guess.

Tossing a stone to the water below, I turned to see Sam and Jared coming towards me. Sam had his teeth bared, drool dripping from his fangs.

Well, damn.

I might be a sick son-of-a-bitch, but even I wasn't crazy enough to take on a ticked off Alpha.

Phasing would take too long, so I simply kneeled before my Alpha, eyes averted, palms on my bent knees in the most submissive pose possible while human.

Sam phased midstride, the growl sounding even worse coming from his human form. Without even bothering with pulling on his shorts, he grabbed me by the neck and lifted me to my feet. I didn't bother fighting, not wanting to anger him further. I was amazed he'd even been able to phase since a moment ago he looked pissed enough to fling me over the cliffs without a second thought.

"You really screwed up this time, fucker," Jared commented from behind Sam.

I glanced over at him, making sure not to raise my gaze too high, and saw him leaning against a tree, arms crossed over his chest.

Sam growled louder in agreement, his fingers digging into my neck. Breathing became a little difficult, but I refused to lift my hands to fight him off.

"Son of a bitch," Sam snarled, throwing me to the ground.

I inhaled gratefully, coughing at the roughness in my throat.

"You… are _so_… _fucking_… lucky," Sam spat between growls.

Deciding that silence was my best bet, I simply looked up at his shoulder. Meeting his gaze right now would be like signing my own death certificate.

"That girl… has been through enough… without you telling her… _how to kill herself_!" Sam roared the last part, not quite managing to reign in his snarling between words.

Jared flinched at the anger in our Alpha's voice, but I remained still. Showing respect was one thing. I'd be damned if I was going to show fear as well. Sam began pacing in his agitation, his eyes narrowed on me the entire time.

"I promised Charlie I would keep her safe. Then you go and say some asinine thing like that? You're lucky I don't throw you off these cliffs," Sam spat, finally calmed down enough to speak in complete sentences.

I chanced a glance up at him, meeting his eyes for the first time. When he didn't immediately go for my throat, I knew the worst had past.

"You're going to fix this, Paul. And I know just the way to do it," Sam said with a sinister grin.

_Shit._

* * *

><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

I sat at the kitchen table, staring at the opening to the hallway. Jared and Kim were whispering to each other at the other end. Kim would giggle every time Jared nuzzled her neck. My fingers twitched as I fought the urge to hold Emily who was seated beside me.

The Alpha in me was still pissed off about one of my wolves defying my wishes. My wolf needed our mate to help calm us down, but I knew I would have to wait. Trying to ignore the sweet scent of my mate, I focused my attention to the sounds coming from the guest room.

"Come on, Swan. You don't wanna upset Emily by not coming to dinner, do you?" Paul wheedled from the back room.

I glanced over at my mate to find her glancing nervously at the hallway. Knowing her as I did, I knew she was fighting with everything within her not to jump up and run down the hallway to make sure Paul wasn't abusing "poor Bella".

"You know, the least you could do is actually show me you're paying attention. All it takes is a look, Swan. Hell, I'll even settle for a blink," Paul insisted testily.

I hid my smirk behind my hand when Paul sighed heavily a moment later.

"I tried to play nice, Swan, but you've given me no other option," Paul warned right before there was a sharp inhale from Bella.

I tensed, prepared to go find out what the hell that idiot was up to when he walked through the doorway, a surprised Bella thrown over his shoulder. He walked over to his usual seat, pulled it out, and plopped Bella into it. She stared up at him, her eyes wider than usual in her thin face, as he took the seat right beside her.

"Paul!" Emily scolded, her voice high.

"What?" Paul frowned, piling food on his plate.

I choked on a laugh as Emily stared at him, too shocked to do anything else.

"Eat, Em," I said, nudging her plate towards her.

Bella continued to stare at Paul as he began shoveling food in his mouth, though Paul was completely oblivious to her. Or so it would seem.

He suddenly stopped mid bite to gently lean over and place Bella's fork in her hand. He took a moment to make sure she wasn't going to just let it fall before going back to his food, completely oblivious again.

Gradually, the sound of utensils on plates began to be drowned out by conversation. Kim and Emily started talking about what Kim would do after high school. Jared put in his opinion occasionally between bites. Paul nodded when asked a question, but other than that, he focused on his food. I simply sat back and watched, most of my attention divided between Emily and Bella.

By the time Paul, Jared, and I were on our second plate, Emily and Kim were finished, but Bella hadn't even touched her plate. She just sat there, staring at Paul. Eventually, Paul started slowing down and noticed she was still staring at him.

"Eat, Swan," Paul ordered, surprisingly gentle.

Bella looked down at her plate of pasta salad as though it was the first time she'd noticed it. Looking back at Paul, she tentatively stabbed a noodle and brought it to her mouth. Paul watched her the entire time, his attention as riveted on her as hers had been on him just moments before. His eyes followed her fork as she stabbed another noodle, ate it, stabbed another, ate it, and on and on until her plate was nearly half empty.

Reaching to take her fork from her, Paul smiled slightly.

"Thank you," Paul murmured, putting her fork down on the table.

I looked over at Emily to find her watching Bella with a watery smile. Catching her eye, I gave her a slow wink, causing her smile to grow.

Something told me this punishment of Paul's was going to turn out to be good for both him and Bella.

* * *

><p><strong>Paul's POV<strong>

I set her fork down beside her plate, still giving her a small smile. Her brown eyes weren't nearly as vacant as before, with a small spark of life causing the previously frozen chocolate to melt ever so slightly. With her brown eyes still focused on mine, she reached out, picked her fork back up, and resumed eating.

My chest tightened unbearably until I thought for sure I was having a heart-attack right there in Emily's kitchen. I struggled to breathe as she watched me, those wide eyes intent on mine, and suddenly, I felt her. The vast emptiness, the despair, the utter loneliness, all of it was there for me to witness. The feeling of drowning with no way of knowing which way was up consumed me.

As suddenly as the feeling had come on, it was gone, and I was able to breathe again.

"Damn, Swan," I mumbled.

There might have been a flash of confusion across her face, but it was difficult to tell. Instead of dwelling on it, I started thinking of ways to bring her out of the pit she seemed incapable of getting out of.

In that moment, I made it my mission to put life back in those frozen chocolate eyes of hers.


	4. Chapter 4: Defending Bella

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Four

**Emily's POV**

Four days had passed since Bella came to stay with Sam and I. Each day, Paul came over early in the morning and stayed well into the night, Bella always by his side. Bella still hadn't spoken a word, but whenever Paul was around, she actually looked alive. Her eyes were more focused, the dark circles underneath almost completely gone. Charlie called Sam every night and I sat on our bed, relieved that with each passing day, the stress lines around Sam's eyes faded.

"I think she's getting better, Em. Did you see her this morning? She actually ate breakfast without Paul making her," Sam had murmured last night after hanging up with Charlie.

That girl had completely turned the pack on its head. Even Jared and Kim found it difficult to stay away from her. Kim would sit beside her and read, not saying a word, but just sharing space. Jared always ruffled her hair when he walked by. Yesterday, Bella had reached up and readjusted the tangled mess, something she hadn't done before. Sam, bless his heart, hadn't been able to control his grin when Bella had almost furiously brushed the strands with her fingers.

The sound of muffled footsteps coming from the hallway brought me out of my thoughts. Bella rounded the corner, looking decidedly disheveled from sleep.

"Good morning, Bella. Would you like some coffee?" I offered, standing to pour her a mug.

She nodded once, shuffling across the kitchen to get the cream and sugar. She fixed her coffee quietly and methodically, her eyes scanning the backyard where Paul usually emerged after a night of patrolling.

"I was just going to start breakfast. Want to help me?" I asked, pulling out a skillet for eggs.

Silent as ever, Bella went to pull the carton of eggs out of the fridge and a bowl from the cabinet. She started cracking the eggs, her eyes constantly going back to the window. I smiled slightly as she whisked the eggs with a fork, barely paying attention as she poured the soupy yellow mixture into the skillet.

"He'll be by soon enough," I assured her, pulling out the sausage.

Bella turned to look at me over her shoulder, her brown eyes blinking innocently before she turned back to the skillet. Less than five minutes later, her head jerked up towards the kitchen door, just seconds before Paul came strutting inside.

"Good morning, all!" Paul greeted, coming to kiss my cheek.

"Good morning, Paul," I smiled, browning the sausage.

"Smells good, Swan. You didn't spit in it, did you?" Paul asked, moving to stand beside her.

Bella almost smiled as she shook her head twice.

"I can tell, you know. I have superb taste buds," Paul warned her.

The hitch in her lips lifted just a little bit more as Paul tapped her nose.

"Where's Sam, Em?" Paul asked, glancing over at me briefly.

"In the shower. He's already been out for his morning run," I answered.

With Bella not being permitted to know about the wolf pack, Sam had come up with the idea of "running" every morning. It excused him coming in at odd times and kept Bella from getting too suspicious.

"So, I was thinking maybe we could go out to First Beach later since the sun is threatening to make an appearance. Only if you promise not to try and drown yourself, though. I don't think Emily would appreciate it too much if I brought you back dead," Paul mocked Bella.

Bella shot him a glare, the most emotion she had shown to date. Paul just grinned back at her, clearly pleased with himself.

"Paul, make yourself useful and set the table," I ordered, indicating the plates with my free hand.

"Aye, aye, Cap'n," Paul saluted, jumping to the task.

* * *

><p><strong>Paul's POV<strong>

I watched carefully as Bella walked along the water's edge. The sunken set to her shoulders had lessened over the past few days and she had put on a few pounds thanks to Emily's cooking. Every day, I noticed something new that added to the complexity that was Bella Swan.

I knew she didn't like peas, but loved corn. She winced every time there was a gun shot on TV, but had no trouble watching some madman cut open a girl's throat in a horror movie. Her toes were always cold and she liked her toast just a little bit burnt around the edges. She bit her lip when she was nervous and her thumb when she was thinking. She had one strand of hair that always hung in front of her face when she read.

And every night when it was time for me to leave, my gut clenched at the pleading in her eyes.

I had no idea what it was about the girl, but she had me wrapped around her pretty little finger.

The waves rushed up to meet her feet, making her run away from the freezing sea foam. She spun to me, a smile on her face, and my heart seized. The wolf in me made me want to throw my head back and howl to the world. Protective instincts screamed through my veins and, for a moment, I couldn't move as I struggled not to act on them.

The sound of laughter coming from the other side of Bella finally broke her spell and I started towards her. I instantly recognized the three voices and knew Jacob, Quil, and Embry would be coming upon us any second.

I stopped by her side, my hand going to the small of her back, just as they came into view. Bella spotted them before they spotted us and I felt her tense under my hand.

"Come on, Swan. Let's head this way," I murmured, sensing her distress and steering her away from the group of adolescent boys.

She nodded, her hand reaching for mine as I started leading her away. We had only walked a few steps when Jacob called out for her.

"Bells! Hey, Bells, wait up!"

Bella clutched my hand tighter, but stopped to face her childhood friend. He skidded to a stop in front of us, a wide smile on his face.

"I didn't know you were coming down here? Why didn't you call me? We could've hung out," Jacob grinned, leaning in to hug her.

She patted his back with her free hand, stiff in his embrace. Jacob pulled back with a confused frown. He glanced from me to Bella and down to our joined hands. A shadow passed over his face, but he tried to act casual when he met her gaze again.

"What's going on between the two of you? I didn't know you knew Paul," Jacob frowned.

"We just met a few days ago," I told him, not offering any more information.

"How?" Jacob asked, crossing his arms over his chest in an attempt to look intimidating.

"Sam," I answered, smirking at the way he puffed out his chest.

Bella squeezed my hand, whether from nerves or an attempt to get me to stop talking, I wasn't sure.

"Why don't you come hang out with us, Bells? We can order pizza. I'll even let you pick the toppings," Jacob offered.

Bella bit her lip and, refusing to meet Jacob's gaze, shook her head.

"What's wrong, Bells? Why won't you talk to me?" Jacob asked, reaching out for her hand.

Bella stuffed the hand in her pocket, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

"Come on, Swan. Let's go," I murmured softly, giving her hand a gentle tug.

She relaxed slightly and moved away from Jacob.

"Hold on just a damned second. Bella, what the hell is going on here?" Jacob demanded, his face thunderous.

"Let it go, Black," I growled, moving between the two of them.

"The hell I will. Stay out of this, Lahote," Jacob glared, reaching around me for Bella.

I stepped in his way, keeping Bella behind me. Whatever was going on with her, I knew she didn't want to see Jacob, much less have him touch her.

"Back off," I bit out, my last warning.

"What the hell, Bella? You move on from Cullen that fast? Now you're dating Paul? Fucking Paul? Didn't realize you were that kinda girl," Jacob sneered.

My fist flew before I could even consider stopping it and connect with his jaw with a sickening crunch.

"MOTHER FUCKER!" Jacob cursed, stumbling back.

"Apologize! Now!" I roared, advancing on him.

The kid aimed to throw a punch back, but I easily dodged him, my wolf reflexes faster than his. His buddies, Embry and Quil came rushing over, quick to their friend's rescue. Before they made it to him, I had landed another punch, this one breaking his nose.

"FUCK!" Jacob screamed, spitting out blood.

"Apologize!" I snarled, grabbing him by his shirt.

"Fuck you, Lahote! Good luck getting her to put out, you mother fu-"

His tirade was cut off as I hit him again, sending him sprawling. By now, Quil and Embry were there, helping him to his feet. I stood, feet braced apart, waiting for him to come at me again. He did, roaring like an enraged bear and swinging with no intended target. I pinned him easily, following him down this time. He thrashed against me, struggling against my superior strength. Drawing my fist back for a final blow, a soft noise from behind froze me.

"Paul."

One simple word, my name, falling from her lips like a prayer, and all my anger deflated. I glanced over my shoulder at her, noticed the way she was shaking, and I felt like a jack-ass. Shoving away from Jacob, I rose to my feet and went to her. She grabbed hold of my hands, checking for signs of injury, but there wasn't even a scratch.

"Come on, Swan. Let's go," I murmured, kissing her fingers softly.

I didn't bother looking back as we made our way back to Sam and Emily's. I knew Jacob wouldn't bother trying to attack me now. And, even if he did, his friends weren't stupid enough to let him try it.

When we were far enough away that we could no longer see or hear the three, I stopped and pulled her close, noticing the way her body still trembled.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly, stroking her back.

She nodded against my chest, her fingers fisted against my chest. I pressed my lips to the top of her head, trying to infuse her body with comfort. We may have stood like that for minutes, hours, seconds. My entire being was focused on the slip of a girl in my arms and in that moment, I realized…

There wasn't a damn thing I wouldn't do for her.


	5. Chapter 5: Telling Bella

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Five

**Sam's POV**

I watched from the front porch as Paul practically carried Bella across the yard. Despite his calm façade, I could feel his anger pulsating around him like a heavy bass song turned up full blast. The quickness in which it had overtaken him was astounding and I had immediately thought he had phased, blowing our cover. To see him softly whispering, his arms wrapped around Bella while she shook, shocked me to my core.

Paul wasn't gentle. He didn't comfort people. He threw insults around like candy and was almost never serious.

Bella had changed him.

"Everything alright?" I called as they got closer.

"Fine. We just ran into a slight problem," Paul told me, keeping his voice purposefully light.

I nodded, looking between the two of them. Bella was clearly shell-shocked, trembling as Paul ran his fingers through her hair. I caught and held Paul's gaze, hoping he would catch my desire to speak with him alone.

"Bella, why don't you go inside and see if Emily has a cup of tea or something for you," Paul suggested gently.

Her hand clenched around Paul's, clearly reluctant to leave him.

"Go on, Swan. I'll be there in a minute," Paul assured her, placing a kiss on her temple and nudging her towards the stairs.

She went, hesitating with each step. I gave her an encouraging smile as she passed me by, surprised when she offered a small one in return. Paul watched her go, almost desperately. I frowned when I noticed the way his body seemed to lean in after her.

"Paul," I murmured, capturing his attention.

Instantly, his face hardened and he growled, his arms trembling in anger.

"Easy. Tell me what happened," I soothed, slowly approaching him.

"That…. fucking… _Black_," Paul snarled, his chest heaving.

"Jacob? What did he do?" I asked softly.

"I… _can't_…. _hold it in_," Paul panted between growls.

"Breathe, Paul. Fight it off," I encouraged.

"_Can't_," Paul growled, falling to his knees.

"Shit," I breathed, shedding my shorts as quickly as possible.

By the time I had phased, Paul's wolf was pacing back and forth in the yard, his thoughts a jumbled mess of his encounter with Jacob.

_Fucking bastard… Should've ki__lled him… She said my name…Fucking yelling at her… He doesn't know a damned thing about her… Should've killed him… Insulting her… Should've killed him... She said my name… Demanding asshole… Arrogant bastard… Should've killed him… She said my name…_

Along with the images flashing through his mind, it was easy to put together the pieces.

_Paul, we have to get into the woods. We're too exposed, _I reminded him.

_Should've killed him,_ Paul rumbled, completely ignoring me.

A scream startled us both and I spun around to find Bella on the front porch, staring at Paul's shredded clothes. Emily came running out of the house before either Paul or I could phase. Her eyes widened when she saw the two of us in wolf forms.

"Bella. Bella, calm down," Emily insisted, wrapping her arms around the smaller girl.

Bella didn't stop screaming and tears began running down her face as she sank to her knees. Emily shot me a desperate look, clearly unsure what to do. As I watched, Bella buried her face in Emily's lap, her screams continuing.

"Bella! Bella, look at me, damn it!" Paul yelled, running past me.

Completely naked.

Shit.

Bella continued screaming, shaking her head against Emily's knee. Paul leapt onto the porch and grabbed hold of her shoulders. Her eyes were squeezed tight, tears streaming down her face.

"Damn it, Swan! Shut up!" Paul shouted, shaking her.

She screams abruptly cut off and she froze.

"Shut up, Swan. Just shut up," Paul whispered, pulling her into his embrace.

She clutched at his arms, burying her face in his chest.

"That's it, Swan. Just keep that pretty little mouth of yours shut," Paul murmured against her hair.

I phased back, pulling on my shorts as I walked towards them. Emily sat, staring at the two of them in amazement.

"Come on, Em. Let's give these two some time alone," I suggested, pulling her to her feet.

Paul looked up at me as I walked past, questioning. I nodded, giving him permission. Wrapping my arm around Emily, I lead her into the house.

"Why don't you call Kim and Jared to come by? I have a feeling we're going to need to do some explaining."

* * *

><p><strong>Paul's POV<strong>

I was getting damned tired of watching her break apart. Twice in one day was too much, especially with her so fragile to begin with. Damn it, I had just gotten her to speak and this happens.

How would she react to the wolf? She dated a fucking leech. Maybe the wolf wouldn't scare her.

"Naked," Bella breathed.

"What?" I asked, leaning closer to her mouth.

"Naked," Bella repeated.

I glanced down and realized I was, in fact, naked. Chuckling, I kissed her temple.

"So I am. Afraid I shredded my clothes when I phased. We'll have to see if Sam has something for me to wear," I told her.

"Please," Bella whispered.

I couldn't contain my smile as I realized we were actually talking, carrying on a conversation. Granted, I was doing most of the talking, but still. She wasn't reverting.

"Come on. We need to talk," I sighed, pulling her to her feet.

I led her inside, catching a pair of shorts Sam tossed my way as soon as I walked through the door. Grateful, I pulled them on before taking her hand and pulling her towards the couch. She burrowed into my side, pulling her legs onto the couch. My arm wrapped around her shoulders and I breathed deep, taking in her smell.

Sam sat in his recliner, leaning forward as he watched us. Emily came in a few minutes later and sat on his arm rest.

"They're on their way," Emily told him.

"Jared and Kim?" I asked.

Sam nodded, watching Bella closely. My arm tightened around her protectively, nervous at the way Sam stared at her. My wolf didn't like it and a growl built in my chest. Before Sam could say anything, Bella began petting my chest. The rumbling stopped and I pressed my face into her hair.

It didn't take long for Jared and Kim to show up. For a little over an hour, Sam went over every aspect of pack life, giving detailed accounts of how each of us came to be a part of it. Bella just sat beside me, her face pressed against my chest. She gave no acknowledgement of Sam's words.

"Bella, do you understand what I'm telling you?" Sam asked cautiously.

She nodded against my chest, still avoiding his gaze.

"Alright, Swan?" I asked.

She nodded again.

"Bella, if you have any questions, we'd be happy to answer them," Emily offered.

She shook her head.

I sighed, leaning my head back against the couch. So much for her talking.

"Well, I'm starving. How bout some grub?" Jared asked, effectively changing the subject.

"You're always hungry," Kim sighed, rolling her eyes affectionately.

"Duh, babe. Being a wolf takes up a lot of energy," Jared defended himself.

"I'll go fix some sandwiches," Emily smiled, standing.

Sam followed her, but not before he cast one last glance at Bella. I swallowed the growl that threatened to escape, but only because Bella was still petting my chest. Sighing, I closed my eyes and just soaked up the feel of her in my arms.

* * *

><p><strong>Emily's POV<strong>

"Is it possible?" I asked Sam, trying to keep my voice down.

"Anything is possible, Em. You know that," Sam sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

I pulled out what was needed for sandwiches, frowning as I listened as Jared turned on the TV in the living room.

"Do you think he imprinted on her?" I asked.

"He acts like he has, but… he hasn't experienced the same thing Jared and I did," Sam answered, clearly frustrated.

I waited, sensing this was bothering him more than he let on.

"His emotions are strong enough for her to be his imprint. There's definitely a connection between them. If it is the imprint bond, they're different from us. I'll have to talk to the Elders, see if they have any input on what's happening," Sam decided.

I handed him the phone and a plate of sandwiches.

"Eat first. Then call Billy," I instructed.

"Yes, ma'am," Sam smiled, pulling me close.

I ran my fingers through his shortened hair as he nuzzled against my stomach.

"What would I do without you?" Sam breathed.

"Starve," I answered.

His laughter filled the kitchen, easing the tension in both of us. I kissed the top of his head before moving to finish the rest of the sandwiches.

I hoped Billy would be able to tell us what was happening between Paul and Bella. That girl didn't need any more heartbreak in her life. She needed stability, as did Paul. If they could be that for each other, imprint or not, I could see them staying together for a good, long time.


	6. Chapter 6: Scaring Bella

**Please 'scuse this not so little A/N, I need to answer a review from **eamurray022980.** And some of you may have been wondering the same thing. The review asked about Paul's comforting Bella last chapter and whether he was actually yelling at her or if it was just tough love. Let's clear it up. Bella reacts best to Paul because he acts like an asshole, right? She saw his clothes shredded and two HUGE wolves in the front yard. Conclusion: Paul's dead. Now, Paul does not call her Bella very often, as you probably have noticed. There is a reason for that, I promise! At first, calling her Bella indicated a level of closeness he didn't feel and had no intention of feeling. Calling her Swan, which no one did or does, is just one of Paul's ways of slapping her in the face (figuratively, of course). Now though, calling her Swan has developed into a pet name or a term of endearment. It's special between them. Bella recognizes Paul's aggressive side when she's upset because he doesn't coddle her and she knows it's him. To an outsider, it may seem like Paul is an abusive asshole, but Bella needs him to yell at her and (basically) degrade her. In some way, it lets her know he actually gives a damn. Make sense? Hope so! Don't know how else I could explain it, but I'll give it a try if someone needs it.**

**Now, onto the story!**

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Six

**Paul's POV**

I flicked through the channels on TV, Bella tucked into my side, as I thought about what Sam had found out from the council Elders. According to them, Bella was not my imprint. They wanted me to stay away from her, worried about another Sam/Emily/Leah fiasco. Billy Black, especially, was concerned about my role in Bella's life. Sam thought he was worried if something did happen and I ended up leaving Bella, she would revert back to her zombie-like state of a week ago. Even Sam suggested I spend less time around the house.

They just didn't understand. Even if Bella wasn't my imprint, which I still wasn't sold on, I couldn't just leave her. There was definitely something between us and I refused to back down because of some wolf default mating thing. Besides, she wouldn't talk to anyone but me. I had to hang around to make sure she got better.

"Stop," Bella murmured, reaching out to cover the remote in my hand.

I looked up to see I had landed on some cooking show. Bella snuggled further into my arms, sighing contently as some guy started talking about the benefits of using olive oil over butter. Giving a mental shrug, I settled in to wait for her to either get bored or fall asleep. I'd been noticing that she seemed to always fall asleep at some point when I came to visit, usually when we were alone. Emily had confirmed my suspicions that she wasn't getting much sleep during the night. My wolf preened knowing she slept better when we were with her.

The council may have doubts about Bella and me, but my wolf and I were in complete agreement. She was the one for us.

Her soft exhale across my neck brought my focus back to the girl lying in my arms.

"You warm enough, Swan?" I asked.

She nodded, her long brown hair tickling my arm and chest. I tightened my hold on her to be sure and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on top of her head. Her fingers, which had been plucking at my shorts, began drawing circles and swirls across the fabric. I sighed into her hair, closing my eyes against the intense emotional and physical pleasure brought on by her touch. It was like sticking my entire body in a five hundred degree oven, the way the passion comforted and burned at the same time. My wolf growled happily, knowing we were the only ones she touched this way.

Gradually, as the guy on the TV cooked up some fancy Italian dish, her hand slowed and she started drifting off to sleep. I ran my fingers through her hair, a soothing mechanism for us both, counting her heart beats as her breathing slowed and deepened.

My thoughts ran away from me again and I worried about what would happen once Charlie came back from Seattle and what Bella was going to do about school. I had learned from Sam that Charlie had taken Bella out of school for the semester after realizing she wouldn't be able to go in her previous state of detachment. It was her senior year and she was pretty advanced for the small town curriculum of Forks High. I had no doubt she would be able to graduate on time if we could convince her to go back to school or possibly to do her classes online through the nearby community college. She was smart enough for that.

As for Charlie, I knew I hadn't made the best impression on him when he first dropped Bella off, but Sam and Emily had both told him about Bella's progress and how she clung to me whenever I was around. The Chief may not be too fond of me, but he was definitely glad to hear his daughter was improving. Still, I knew as soon as he came back, Bella would return to Forks with him and my days spent with her on the couch or walking along First Beach would stop.

My wolf whined at the thought, my arms tightening around Bella subconsciously as I breathed deeply of her scent. She murmured softly in her sleep, her hand petting my thigh in an attempt to calm me. I smiled slightly, enjoying the simple comfort she offered.

I was just about to drift off to sleep myself when a howl pierced the silence of the house. Sam's call was followed by a sudden feeling of rage had me nearly trembling out of my skin. Bella jolted awake, gasping my name. I pushed Sam's anger away to sooth her.

"Hush, Swan. I gotta go see what Sam wants. You stay here and wait for me to come back," I instructed through clenched teeth as I struggled against phasing.

She bit her lip nervously as she watched me leave out the back door. I stayed close to the tree line as I phased, not wanting to leave her alone. Emily was visiting her relatives on the Makah reservation, something she did at least once a month. The idea of leaving Bella completely alone and unprotected did not sit well with my wolf and he refused to allow me to wander more than a few yards into the dense foliage of Sam's backyard.

_We've caught the scent of a vampire female. Not a Cullen. Jared and I are tracking her now. We need you to meet us. She's too quick. We need to box her in._

Sam's thoughts invaded my mind, but I struggled between staying to protect Bella and going to help my pack brothers.

_**Paul, come!**_

The Alpha command rolled over me and my feet shot forward, taking me towards the chase. My inner wolf growled angrily at having to leave Bella unprotected, but not even he would disobey our Alpha.

_The sooner we catch this leech, the sooner we can get back to her,_ I thought to my wolf.

He growled and pushed us harder, increasing our speed as we leapt over boulders and downed trees. I was quickly coming upon the place where Sam wanted to box the leech in and the bleached sugar smell assaulted my senses. I snorted at the unpleasant sensation that scent caused, shaking my head to get rid of it.

A flash of red caught my eye and I veered toward it, howling to let my brothers know I was on the hunt. Their answering calls were close and we moved in on the leech, her bright red eyes darting over her shoulder as we neared.

I snapped my teeth at her, growling ferociously as I pushed my wolf harder. Using a boulder as leverage, I sprung at her through the air. She barely missed my teeth, ducking out of way just in time.

Sam raced past me as I landed on my feet before following him. Jared was a few yards over to my right, closing in fast. Sam dodged forward, going after the leech's legs, but she danced away at the last minute. Jared had the same such luck when he tried to catch her. It went on like that until we chased her to the cliffs and into the ocean.

Snapping my teeth at her disappearing figure, I pawed the ground angrily.

_Come on, Paul. We need to get back,_ Sam huffed, using his shoulder to move me away from the cliffs.

An image of Bella flashed through my mind and I was off like a shot, racing to get back to her. I had been gone for too long and the sun was already sinking over the horizon. By the time I made it back to Sam's, the stars were starting to show up.

I phased and pulled on shorts as I walked across the backyard, tensing when I saw Bella waiting on the back steps, trembling. As soon as she saw me, she gave a soft cry and raced down the steps.

"Swan, I thought I told you to wait inside," I scolded, opening my arms for her.

She nearly bowled me over as she ran into them. I frowned when I felt tears on my bare chest.

"Hey, now. What's with the tears?" I asked quietly, tilting her head back to see her face.

"Thought you left," Bella whimpered, her voice breaking on the last word.

"Of course I left, Swan. There was a vampire. I had to help the pack. I told you to wait for me," I reminded her.

"No. Forever," Bella whispered, shaking her head.

"You are out of your mind insane, Swan, you know that? Jesus, woman, what the hell would I leave for? You can just go ahead and get that idiotic idea out of that stubborn little head of yours right now," I insisted, rocking her gently.

"Missed you," Bella sniffled, burrowing further into my embrace.

"Me, too, Swan. Me, too," I breathed, nuzzling her hair.

As the stars came out, I stood there, holding the most amazing woman I'd ever met.

"I should disappear more often," I murmured.

She pulled back and gave me a curious look.

"If it'll get you talking more, why not? Plus, I get the added bonus of holding you," I smirked, thrilled when I saw the usual blush stain her cheeks.

"Come on, Swan. I'm hungry and I know you can navigate a kitchen better than I can. Fix me something to eat," I demanded, gently swatting her ass as she turned towards the house.

I laughed at the little squeak she made, followed up by a glare thrown over her shoulder. She marched towards the house, leaving me to trail behind.

I watched her move around Emily's kitchen as if it were her own, amazed at how confident she looked as she worked. This was not the same girl who wouldn't speak more than two or three words at a time or the girl who worried about me never coming back. Something told me this girl was the real Bella, the one hidden under the insecurities heaped on by whatever that leech did to her all those months ago.

When she placed a stack of sandwiches on the table in front of me, I reached up and caught her wrist. She allowed me to pull her onto my lap without a fight, sighing contently when my fingers found their way into her hair.

"Looks good, Swan," I commented, picking up on of the sandwiches.

She smiled softly as I ate, seemly content to sit and keep me company without saying a word. After I had inhaled the last sandwich, I kissed her temple in thanks.

I froze when I felt her lips press against my neck in response. It was just a light brushing of her lips across my skin, but it heated my blood like nothing else. My hands clenched, aching to hold her tighter, to move her body over mine. But nothing prepared me for the pleasurable agony that flooded me when her breath fanned across my neck with two simple words.

"My Paul."

Oh, dear God, was I in trouble.

* * *

><p><strong>So, it's a little short, which is why I'm posting it today. I'll still give you guys another chapter on Wednesday, but I would feel really bad about giving you guys this on Wednesday and making you wait until Saturday for another update when this one is sooo short! I hope you guys enjoyed it, though!<strong>

**See you next chapter!**


	7. Chapter 7: Holding Bella

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Seven

**Sam's POV**

I listened intently as Bella went about making Paul something to eat. Emily was sitting beside me, her head against my shoulder.

"What is he saying?" Emily whispered, unable to hear what was happening in the next room.

"Nothing. I think he's watching her," I answered softly.

The sound of a plate being put down on the table drew my attention back to the kitchen.

"_Looks good, Swan."_

None of us could figure out why Paul insisted on calling Bella by her last name. Occasionally, he would use her first, but only when he seemed to forget himself. Bella didn't seem to mind. In fact, it was almost like she enjoyed it and the way he insulted her.

They definitely had a strange relationship.

"What's happening now?" Emily asked.

"He's eating," I told her with a wry smile.

"What about Bella?" Emily frowned.

"She's sitting on his lap," I said.

"_My Paul."_

"Holy…" I gaped, sitting up straighter.

"What?" Emily asked, worried.

"She just spoke," I answered, my voice breathy from shock.

"She did?" Emily piped excitedly, jumping up in her seat.

"Shh, Em. Calm down," I insisted, not wanting to give away that fact that we were listening in.

Of course, Paul could probably hear us, but Bella would be unable to. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable by eavesdropping.

If Bella was speaking, maybe we could get her to talk about what had happened between her and the leech. The emotional trauma she was going through had to be a result of more than just being left by the leech coven.

"Do you think she's going to be okay?" Emily asked, her voice barely above a murmur.

"With Paul helping her, I don't see how she couldn't be," I admitted, kissing her temple.

* * *

><p><strong>Paul's POV<strong>

I fought off a growl as I listened to Sam and Emily talking about Bella. The wolf didn't like the fact that they were talking about her behind her back, despite how positive they might have been. Sam had to know I could hear them, but they talked about her anyway, as if it didn't matter.

"What happened?" Bella asked, her voice slightly stilted from her crying fit earlier.

Not needing further explanation, I shifted her so she was seated more comfortably against my chest before answering.

"We ran across a red-headed leech a few miles away, chased her to the coast. No way of knowing if she'll come back or not. Hopefully we scared her off and she stays gone," I explained.

Her breathing grew ragged and her fingers clenched against my chest, nearly drawing blood as her nails pierced the skin.

"Breathe, Swan. Tell me what's wrong," I demanded, leaning into her.

"Red… hair?" Bella gasped.

"Yeah, she had red hair. Why?" I frowned, worried when her shaking increased.

"I… I have to… I have to go!" Bella cried, struggling against my grasp.

"Jesus, Swan! Chill!" I shouted, pinning her arms to her side.

"No! You don't… understand! I have… to go!" Bella panted, still screaming as she tried to get away.

"EASY!" I yelled before nipping her neck.

She stilled instantly, submitting without a second thought.

"Easy, Swan. Just take it nice and easy," I murmured, stroking her back.

My ears twitched, alerting me to Emily and Sam in the doorway. I chose to ignore them in favor of the girl in my arms. Once she had settled down and her heart didn't sound like it was about to pound right out of her chest, I shifted her so we were face to face.

"Alright, Swan. Let's try this again. What's wrong?" I asked, making sure to keep my voice calm.

"Her name is Victoria," Bella started monotonously.

"How do you know her?" I pressed.

"Her mate attacked me in Phoenix last March," Bella continued in the same creepy voice.

"Is that where you got the scar?" I asked, my fingers rubbing the raised edges around her wrist.

She nodded absently, her eyes staring vacantly into mine, as if she wasn't really seeing me. My wolf whined piteously, craving her attention.

"What else can you tell us, Swan? What else do we need to know about her?" I asked.

"I… I don't… I…" Bella tried to speak, shaking her head.

"Shh. Alright, alright. Easy, Swan. I've got you," I murmured, running my fingers through her hair.

I heard Sam and Emily make their way back to the living room, talking softly amongst themselves. I vaguely registered Sam picking up the phone and dialing Jared's number to share the new information. Almost all of my attention was focused on the girl in my arms.

"I'm scared," Bella whispered, burrowing into my neck.

"I know, but I won't let her hurt you," I swore, kissing the top of her head.

She wrapped her arm around my chest, holding on tightly. I sighed into her hair, my thoughts racing on how to keep her safe. There was no doubt in my mind that the redhead was here for Bella. Just as strong was the knowledge that I would do anything to keep her safe.

"Come on, Swan. Let's get you to bed," I urged, lifting her in my arms as I stood.

Her arms moved to wrap around my neck as I carried her to her room. When I moved to lay her down on the bed, she whimpered softly, her arms tightening around me.

"Shh. I'm not going anywhere, Swan," I whispered, sinking onto the bed beside her.

She instantly pressed into me and I wrapped my arms around her, drawing her in as close as possible.

"Sleep, Swan. I'll be here in the morning," I promised, nuzzling her hair.

I ran my fingers through her hair, hoping to help calm her down. For a long time, we simply laid there, neither one able to fall asleep. Eventually, I felt her lashes flutter against my neck and when they stopped, I knew she had fallen asleep.

Gently extracting myself from her embrace, I crept out of the bedroom and to the living room. Jared had already arrived and was sitting on the couch while Sam stood against the wall. I flopped down onto the couch next to Jared, groaning with exhaustion.

"Where's Em?" I asked.

"I sent her to bed. She doesn't need to be a part of this," Sam frowned.

"So, what are we going to do about this leech?" Jared asked.

"Kill her," I growled, my fists clenching.

"How are we supposed to kill her if we can't even catch her?" Jared huffed, frustrated.

"We set up a trap," Sam answered wearily.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously as his feelings of regret and hesitation washed over me through the pack bond.

"No," I said, low and strong.

"It's the best chance we have," Sam argued weakly.

"Would you put Emily in danger that way?" I snapped, standing up.

"It's different," Sam defended, though he did wince at my implication.

"No, it's not. Jesus, Sam. Just because it's different than what you and Jared experienced doesn't mean it's not the same thing. So what if the Elders say she isn't my imprint. Damn it, I love her!" I roared, forgetting Bella was asleep a few rooms away.

The only sound to be heard was my heavy breathing as I stared my Alpha down.

"You want to use Bella as bait?" Jared asked, catching on to what was happening.

"We don't know what the redhead is after, but if she is after Bella, it would be easy to draw her out," Sam reasoned.

"You are not putting her in danger," I snarled, my entire body trembling.

"We would be able to protect her, Paul. Nothing would happen," Sam assured me.

"No. We're not doing it. We'll find another way," I said heatedly.

"And while we're trying to find another way, she's out there killing innocent people," Sam snapped, becoming more animated.

"I don't care. I'm not risking Bella," I growled.

"Why do we have to decide anything tonight? This was our first time trying to catch the leech. She may not even be interested in Bella. Let's just wait and see what happens," Jared soothed, the voice of reason.

"I don't care what happens. I will never let you put her in danger like that," I insisted before walking away.

When I walked back into the bedroom, I noticed Bella had curled in on herself. She was shivering with just a sheet pulled over her shoulders. I slipped into bed beside her, drawing her back into my arms. She snuggled in close, pressing her face into the crook of my neck. Her soft breath washed over me and allowed my wolf to settle down.

"I do love you," I whispered in the dark.

Her only response was to shift a little bit closer. Burying my face in her hair, I felt all the pressures of the day roll of my shoulders and I finally slept.

* * *

><p><strong>Aw! He finally admitted he loves her! So sweet, right?<strong>

**I can't believe we're almost at 300 reviews. Seriously? You guys rock! And I do love every one of you who reviews, even if I am slightly terrible about responding to everyone. Sorry about that… I've never been very good at replying, but I do try to if you give me something to bounce back on. Like, if you make an interesting comment or ask a question that I'm particularly giddy about. No, I am not trying to get you guys to change the way you review! Most of you send me at least a sentence or two, which I love and enjoy just as much as those who write five or six sentences! I am writing this story to entertain myself as well as all you lovely readers (not to mention it helps keep me sane and my doctor says that's a very good thing!), so good/bad/wonderful/flaming reviews will not affect my updates. **

**Speaking of updates, you can expect the next one to come around… Saturday/Sunday. Depends on whether or not I can write another chapter or two before Saturday. I've completed up to Chapter Ten and we've still got a ways to go. No, I will not update early. Don't ask. I'm saving them in case I hit a dry spell. Then you guys won't be without an update while I scourge around for my muse!**

**One last note before I sign off. A few of you have mentioned that you wanted to see ****BELLA'S POV****. Caps it to grab your attention if you just scrolled past all this bold stuff. Now, I did warn you guys that her POV would be severely lacking in this story. I do plan on bringing her in, but not right now and not within the next few chapters. Unless I manage to get in everything I want to in the next two or three chapters. If you can stick it out, though, I promise I will bring her into this story! Just be patient. It is a virtue, after all. **

**Okay. Really long A/N is over!**

**See you guys next chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8: Showing Bella

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Eight

**Paul's POV**

I watched as Bella spoke to her father for the first time in months. The Chief had called nearly every day and when Sam answered the phone this afternoon, he'd almost immediately handed it to Bella.

She still hadn't spoken to Sam or Emily, but once she was left alone with me in the living room, she had hesitantly brought the phone to her ear.

"_Hello? Sam? You still there?_" Charlie's concerned voice came through the phone.

"Dad?" Bella whimpered, clutching the phone.

"_Bells?_" Charlie croaked.

"Yeah," Bella answered with a half sob, half laugh.

"_Oh, God, sweetheart. It's so good to hear your__ voice,_" Charlie practically sobbed.

"You, too. I miss you," Bella murmured emotionally.

"_I miss you, too, honey. I should be home within a week or two. This case is almost wrapped up. How do you like Sam and Emily's?_" Charlie asked.

"I like it. They've been really nice to me," Bella told him slowly.

"_Good, good. You keeping busy?_" Charlie asked, clearly trying to keep her talking.

"I spend a lot of time with Paul, but I help Emily around the house. Sam is usually busy with work," Bella said, still sounding as though she was struggling to find the right words and push them out.

She looked over at me, giving me a small smile. I winked in return, loving the blush that spread over her cheeks.

"_That's good, Bells. That's real good. Listen, honey, I gotta go. I'm ex__pected back in court in an hour. It'll take me thirty minutes just to get through security,_" Charlie informed her regretfully.

"Okay. I love you, Dad," Bella whispered.

"_Love you, too, Bells. I'll call you later. Be good,_" Charlie instructed gruffly.

She stared at the phone well after she had hung up, as if unwilling to let go of that link to her father.

"Alright, Swan?" I asked casually.

"Yeah," Bella sighed, sinking onto the couch.

I moved across the room to sit beside her, throwing an arm around her shoulders. She turned into my warmth, throwing a leg over mine and wrapping her arms around my middle. I smiled into her hair, my wolf growling happily at her closeness.

"You're vibrating," Bella mumbled, rubbing her cheek against my chest.

"My wolf is happy," I told her, twisting my fingers in her hair.

"Oh," Bella breathed.

I waited, sensing she had more to say, but not wanting to push her.

"Can I see him?" Bella asked.

I froze, my entire body tensing as I fought to control the urge to phase right there.

She actually _wanted_ to _see_ _my wolf_.

None of the imprints were very comfortable with us in our wolf forms, but this little girl, who might not even be an imprint, wanted to see my wolf. The thought rocked me to my core.

"Come with me," I demanded, slipping from underneath her.

I practically dragged her from the house, lifting her into my arms when she stumbled coming down the steps. Not pausing my stride, I walked into the nearby woods, disappearing from easy sight. Her arms wrapped around my neck, holding on tight as I leapt over rocks and trees.

Once I was sure we weren't going to come across a wandering human, I set her down carefully. Placing my hands on her shoulders, I made her look at me.

"Are you sure you want to see him?" I asked, needing to make sure she was going to be okay.

"He won't, like, want to eat me or anything, right?" Bella asked, a little concerned.

I huffed a laugh, thinking of all the things my wolf wanted to do to her.

"No. At least, not in the sense you're thinking about," I smirked.

She blushed prettily for me as I stepped back. Not bothering with trying to hide, I slipped out of my shorts, laughing as her blush increased.

She didn't turn away.

Her eyes ran up and down my body, turning my blood into fire. My reaction to her was uncontrollable as her eyes fastened on my rapidly growing cock. Her eyes snapped up to meet my gaze.

Shooting her a smirk, I fell forward, allowing the wolf to take over. My hands touched the ground as paws and I shook out my fur. My nose twitched as her scent wafted over me and my wolf practically purred at the sweet smell.

Bella seemed to be waiting for me to make the first move. Carefully, so as not to startle her, I walked up to her. Her head barely came up to my shoulders and I had to lower my head to stare into her eyes.

"You're really beautiful, you know?" Bella smiled softly, her eyes wide in awe as I sat down in front of her.

I chuffed at her gently, enjoying the way her giggle made the wolf's ears twitch forward.

Hesitantly, her hands came up and brushed across my face. The wolf shuddered at the intense pleasure of having her touch him. He'd been craving it since we'd first laid eyes on her.

"So soft," Bella murmured, moving her hands to the fur behind my ears.

A soft pull down my back pull me out of the happy place Bella was putting me in. I turned around when it became more persistent.

Holy shit.

My tail was wagging!

Bella giggled, leaning around me to look at the offending limb. Her fingers scratched behind my ears, drawing my attention back to her completely.

Damn, she was beautiful.

The wolf whined, leaning forward to rub our nose against hers before licking her cheek.

"Paul!" Bella gasped, laughing as she rubbed the saliva off her face.

I pushed against her until her back was pressed against a nearby tree, my nose pressed against her chest, right over her heart. The gentle beating soothed something inside the wolf, calming the nervous energy that always flowed beneath the surface.

The change happened before I could stop it and I suddenly found myself staring down into a pair of molten chocolate eyes. The trembling in my hands couldn't be helped as I brought them up to frame her face. Tracing her lower lip with my thumb, I leaned into her until there was no part of us that wasn't connected.

"Paul," Bella breathed, her hands coming to rest overtop mine.

I knew I should turn and walk away. I knew she wasn't completely healed and that she still had a long way to go before she would be able to trust people again.

But she trusted me.

And, for now, that was enough. The rest could come later. Her story, the leeches, Jacob, her dad, the Elders. Hell, even the pack.

None of it mattered.

Because suddenly her lips were on mine and our tongues were meeting and her hands were in my hair and my hands were sweeping over her body and it was so fucking perfect I never wanted it to end.

She made a soft moaning sound in the back of her throat that went straight to my dick. It took everything I had not to throw her down and fuck her until she couldn't see straight, until I was the only thing real in her world.

She was so soft compared to me, so incredibly fragile. It terrified the man, but the wolf was confident that we could protect her.

No one was taking what belonged to us.

Her tiny hands tugged at my hair, bringing me back to the kiss. I nipped at her plump bottom lip, loving the way she submitted to me, her body conforming to mine. My hands moved down to cup that sweet little ass of hers, pulling her up against my cock.

I groaned at the feel of her denim clad pussy sliding over the sensitive head. Her whimper fueled my hunger for her and I began thrusting against her, eager to feel her nails clawing down my back as she climaxed for me. She panted softly, moaning with each thrust, her hands clutching at my shoulders to balance herself.

As if I would let her fall.

The wolf hated the clothes keeping her soft skin from us, but the man was too impatient to take them off her. I promised the wolf that next time we would have her naked before us.

"Please, Paul. Please," Bella whined, writhing in my arms.

"I know," I growled back, angling her so that my dick was hitting her clit with each thrust.

"Oh, God!" Bella cried, her nails dragging down my arms.

"Ride me, Swan. Fuck, yeah," I panted, increasing my pace.

Oh, fuck!

Her teeth embedded in my shoulder, drawing blood as she screamed through her climax. The pain was enough to send me over and I came all over her, the tree, and the forest floor.

She kept her head on my shoulder as we struggled to catch our breath, my arms wrapped around her possessively.

There was no way in hell I was giving her up now.


	9. Chapter 9: Loving Bella

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Nine

**Paul's POV**

Bella's hand was held tightly within my own as we made our way back to Sam and Emily's house. Some part of me knew I should feel bad about ruining her jeans, but I just couldn't bring myself to regret it. She was absolutely covered in my scent. Both the wolf and the man agreed it was the sexiest scent in the world.

As the house came into view, Bella slowed our steps until we stood motionless in the backyard. My arms came around her, offering support and whatever else she needed in that moment. Her head fit under my chin and I breathed deeply of our mingled scents.

"Come on. Let's get you some fresh clothes," I insisted softly after a while, tugging her towards the house.

She followed willingly as I led her into the guest room. Leaving her in the middle of the room, I walked to her closet to find a fresh pair of jeans for her. When I turned back around, she had already removed her jeans and was in the process of stripping out of her shirt. I felt my cock hardening at the sight of those pale legs, wishing her panties had followed the offending denim.

She blushed at my bold stare, but I couldn't bring myself to look away. Instead, I knelt before her, jeans in hand, and kissed the bone rising above her hip. She was still too skinny for my liking, but at least her bones were no longer poking out from beneath her skin. My fingers trailed along her rib cage, riding the slight bumps down to her stomach. Her breathing increased and she shuffled her feet nervously, forcing me to hide a smirk.

"Lift," I instructed, tapping her left leg.

I helped her slide in first one leg, then the other, pulling the jeans on and covering her gorgeous skin. My hands grasped her hips, holding her still as I nuzzled her bare stomach. Her fingers threaded through my hair bringing a rumbling from my chest.

"Paul?" Bella questioned softly, her fingers pausing.

I sighed, moving away from her to stand up. I walked over to her dresser and grabbed a shirt, not really paying attention to color. She was standing behind me when I turned around, her brown eyes watching me solemnly. Trying to offer a reassuring smile, I helped her into the shirt, kissing her forehead when it was in place.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked, her hand reaching for mine.

My chest tightened painfully as her fingers brushed across mine, softer than a spring breeze and I pulled her into my arms in an attempt to ease the pressure.

There were so many things wrong with what was happening between us. She was a leech lover, a pale face, and the epitome of a goody-two-shoes. She could go off to college, leave this town, and make a life for herself. The craziest thing she had done in her life was fall in love with the wrong person. I had anger management problems, wasn't going anywhere with my life, and spent most of my time on patrols. My mom had left me and my dad when I was little to whore it up with some jackass in Vegas. It didn't take long after she left for my dad to bail as well, leaving me completely alone at thirteen. On top of all the reasons why I wasn't right for her, I still wasn't sure whether or not I'd imprinted on her.

I knew we had a connection, one that was stronger than even Sam and Emily's. I felt her constantly, even when we were apart. My wolf sought her out every night before we began patrols, needing to know where she was and that she was safe. The wolf was constantly calculating how long it would take us to reach her if something happened, even when we were in human form. My wolf knew Bella belonged to us and the man would never let her go without a fight, but the Elders and the pack insisted it wasn't an imprint bond all because I hadn't had some huge "BAM!" moment.

"Paul?" Bella murmured, uncertainty creeping into her voice.

I realized I'd been quiet for too long and doubts were starting to creep into that pretty little head of hers.

"Hush, Swan, I was just thinking," I assured her.

"About what?" Bella asked, still sounding a little wary.

"The pack. The Elders. My wolf. Imprinting," I listed, holding her tighter.

"Imprinting?" Bella repeated curiously.

"It's like the mating call. Emily is Sam's imprint just like Kim is Jared's. They looked into each other's eyes and instantly fell in love," I explained.

"Oh," Bella breathed, her body tensing slightly in my arms.

I closed my eyes, hoping she wouldn't pull away from me, praying she didn't ask the one question I couldn't answer.

"Have you imprinted?" Bella asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Shit!

What the hell did I ever do to my ancestors that they enjoyed fucking with me like this?

"I don't know," I answered reluctantly.

"How do you not know?" Bella asked, lifting her head to meet my gaze.

My irritation melted as I looked into her eyes and my touch was gentle as I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I haven't had a struck-by-lightning moment like Sam and Jared. They said it was like gravity shifted and suddenly it was Emily and Kim holding them to the earth," I told her.

"But you haven't felt that," Bella stated.

"No, I haven't," I agreed.

"So you haven't imprinted, then," Bella claimed, just as easily.

"But I might have," I argued.

Bella huffed in frustration, a little line forming between her brows. I chuckled and kissed the line away, glad that someone else was as irritated with the problem as I was. My hands framed her face as I began to explain my reasoning.

"When I saw you, that first day you came here, you looked right into my eyes and something changed in me. It wasn't as obvious as what happened to Sam and Jared, but it was no less powerful. And every day that I spend with you, I can feel our bond becoming stronger. It may not be the typical way to imprint, but I do know that I can't ever imagine letting you go. You belong to me," I insisted, my thumbs brushing away a few tears that escaped to roll down her cheeks.

"Do you love me?" Bella asked, her voice cracking slightly.

"Yes. More than I would've thought possible for someone like me," I admitted.

"I think I love you, too," Bella smiled weakly.

"I hope you do, because you're never getting rid of me," I vowed gruffly.

"I wouldn't want to," Bella promised, smiling wider.

With a growl, I pulled her up into my arms, my mouth hungrily consuming hers as I walked us to the bed. I fell onto it, her beneath me as my hands fisted in the shirt I had just put on her. My wolf reminded me of the promise I had made earlier and I stripped the shirt and bra from her. She gasped as the quick movement, but didn't offer any protest as my teeth nipped along her throat.

"So fucking beautiful," I moaned, moving down to capture a nipple.

"Paul!" Bella cried, her fingers fisting in my hair.

My tongue lapped at the sensitive bud, growling at the sexy noises she was making. Her hips moved impatiently against mine, seeking any sort of friction. I bit down on her nipple, making her scream and pull at my hair.

"Too… many… clothes," I snarled, moving down to tear her jeans off.

She sat up, her hands going to the button of my jean shorts and popping it open. I watched with hooded eyes as she lowered the zipper slowly. She pulled at my shorts, but became frustrated when they wouldn't come off.

"Easy, Swan," I chuckled, moving off the bed and shedding the shorts swiftly.

I was back on top of her in a flash, our bodies pressed together as our mouths met and tongues dueled. The only thing separating us was a tiny scrap of material acting as her panties. They ripped easily in my hands as I tore the fabric from her and we were finally completely skin on skin.

"You feel so fucking good, Swan," I groaned, thrusting between her legs.

She whimpered in response, her tiny nails digging into my shoulders as I moved over top of her.

"Listen to me, Swan," I demanded, fighting not to just slam inside her body right then and there.

Her brown eyes blinked up at me, her bottom lip held tightly between her teeth as she continued writhing beneath me. I lowered my body until I completely pinned her to the mattress, making sure she couldn't move.

"Are you a virgin?" I asked, my dick jumping at the thought.

"Yes. Please, Paul, please move," Bella begged, trying to move against me.

"Ah, ah, ah, Swan. Not yet. We gotta take this slow for your first time. I'm a big man, baby. I don't want to hurt you," I soothed, brushing hair out of her face.

"Please," Bella whimpered, throwing her head back.

The sight of her neck, the submissive pose, snapped something inside of me and my wolf howled in victory. I slammed my lips against hers, my fingers moving down to play with her clit and prepare her for me. I nearly came apart when I realized how wet she already was, her juices coating my fingers in seconds.

"Fuck, Swan," I gritted, trying to hold back.

"Yes, please," Bella quipped, moving against my fingers.

I chuckled darkly, glad she could still maintain her sense of humor, at least for now. My finger slipped inside her wet pussy and we both moaned at the feeling. She was so tight, I could only fit one finger in. I would have to stretch her out before I could even consider getting my dick in there. She chanted my name, pleading with me to fuck her. I shuddered over top of her, holding back as I stroked my finger in and out while my thumb played with her swollen clit.

I added another finger as I began kissing my way down her body, gritting my teeth against the urge to come. My lips finally found what I had been aiming for and I sucked on her clit, shuddering as she screamed my name. My hips were moving against the bed, unable to stay still as I pleasured the beauty beneath me. Her entire body was flushed as I worked my tongue over her clit before squeezing in a third finger. She was practically thrashing on the bed as I pumped my fingers inside her, begging me to make her come.

Growling, I moved away from her and onto my knees. My dick was so hard it hurt and I knew I couldn't wait any longer.

"I'm gonna try to go slow, Swan, but tell me if I hurt you," I instructed, lining myself up at her entrance.

"Yes, yes, just fuck me, Paul, please," Bella begged, her hands fisting in the bed sheets.

"Don't worry, baby. I will," I promised, chuckling slightly.

I pushed in slowly, watching as the head disappeared inside of her. She moaned, pushing her body down to meet me, but I backed away. My hand came down on her hip and she gasped, her brown eyes flying to mine.

"Stay still," I ordered before thrusting forward again.

She bit her lip, watching me while I watched my dick slide inside her. I set up a slight thrusting, pushing in a little further each time. She whined beneath me, clearly wanting more, but I was desperate not to hurt her. I was halfway in when I felt the resistance of her hymen tightening around my cock, preventing me from going further and I knew I couldn't spare her this pain.

"I'm sorry, Swan," I whispered before slamming into her.

She screamed at the swift intrusion, a few tears slipping from between her eyelids. I kissed them away, apologizing over and over, promising it would get better. Gradually, her body began to relax beneath me and I thrust in the rest of the way. When she moaned softly, I pulled out, watching her closely.

"Does it hurt, Swan?" I asked, holding myself still despite the urge to just pound away.

"No. No, please. Move," Bella whimpered, clutching at me.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I thrust back inside her, groaning over her moan at the feel of wet heat wrapped tight around my dick. Her legs wrapped around my waist, encasing me in her heat as I pumped into her. She nails dug into my shoulders as I teased her neck with my teeth and tongue. Never had anything felt so amazing as we moved together, her body the perfect match for mine.

"Come for me, Swan. I know you can," I demanded, my fingers moving down to press against her clit.

She made soft mewing noises as I increased my pace, thrusting into her harder until the sound of slapping skin echoed in the silent house. She screamed my name a second before I felt her walls squeeze my dick.

"Fuck," I groaned, unable to hold back my seed as her walls held me in a vice-like grip.

I collapsed on top of her after, unable to support my own weight as I buried my face into her neck. Her arms wrapped around me, her fingers tracing along my spine. Not sure if I was ever going to be able to move, I placed a kiss beneath her ear.

"You were amazing," I murmured.

"So were you. God, is it always like that?" Bella asked, giggling softly.

"No. It's never been like that before," I told her, lifting my head to look down at her.

Her face was flushed and she was smiling impishly, clearly pleased with herself. I grinned, leaning down to kiss her gently. Her lips parted beneath mine, allowing my tongue to sweep inside. When she nipped at my lower lip, I groaned, feeling my dick harden inside her.

"You're going to kill me," I accused, rolling over so she was on top.

"Mmm. I think you'll be fine," Bella hummed, shifting until she got comfortable.

"Fuck, Swan. You keep doing that I'll never last," I hissed, gripping her hips.

"Oh! I think I might like being on top," Bella giggled, rocking forward.

"I've created a monster," I moaned, grinning up at her.

"It's your own fault," Bella insisted, setting up a smooth rhythm.

"I'll take full responsibility, so long as I'm the only one who gets to see you like this," I told her, lifting her up and slamming her back down.

"Oh!" Bella gasped, throwing her head back.

I smirked, lifting her again. Gradually, she began moving on her own, bouncing on top of me. My eyes were fastened on her breast, the way they moved as I thrust up to meet her. My mouth watered and I ached to suck them into my mouth.

Pulling her down by the back of her neck, I shifted until they were moving right above me. Leaning up, I sucked one of the globes into my mouth, moaning as she moved faster over my dick.

"Paul, Paul, Paul," Bella chanted, her voice high and breathy.

My hands grabbed onto her ass, controlling her movements as I thrust up into her. I knew it wasn't going to take long before I'd be coming again, but I fought against the tightening of my balls, wanting to make it last.

"Milk my dick, Swan," I ordered before biting down hard on her nipple.

She screamed, her entire body shaking as her pussy clenched around my dick, making me see spots as I blew my load into her.

Lapping at the nipple I'd just abused, I hummed contently.

"We should probably clean up," Bella suggested after a while.

"Probably," I agreed, making no move to leave the bed.

"Emily and Sam will be back soon," Bella added.

"Yeah," I agreed again, smiling slightly.

"You have no intention of moving, do you?" Bella asked with a smile.

"Nope."


	10. Chapter 10: Catching Bella

**A/N: Please read the question posted in the A/N at the bottom of the chapter!**

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Ten

**Emily's POV**

The sound of bacon popping and sausage sizzling was my only company as I went about fixing breakfast for the hungry people who would be expecting food on the table once they roused from sleep. Especially since a certain werewolf had spent the night with our human guest.

I smiled to myself, happy for Paul that he had found someone to care about and who cared about him. While the pack was incredibly close, I knew it had been hard on him being the only single one of us. But Bella had changed that.

"Good morning."

Shrieking, I dropped my spatula and spun around, expecting anything from a vampire to the crazy lady who lived down the street.

I was not expecting a smiling, but sleepy Bella.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you," Bella yawned, moving to take a seat at the table.

I stared at her, knowing I should probably shut my mouth, but unable to do so.

"You… you…" I gaped, no doubt looking like a fish out of water with my mouth opening and closing.

"Emily! Are you alright?" Sam demanded, rounding the corner with Paul right on his heels.

"She… she…" I tried again, pointing at Bella.

"I scared her. Sorry, Sam," Bella murmured, blushing at all the attention.

I didn't feel so bad when Sam turned to gape at her as well. Paul, however, simply grumbled about being woken up early before shuffling to take the seat beside her. As soon as he sat, Bella leaned into him and his arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her close. He placed a kiss on her temple and hid a yawn in her hair before he looked up at me.

"What's for breakfast, Em?" Paul asked.

"Sausage, bacon, and eggs," I answered absently.

"Sounds good," Paul smiled, snuggling into Bella.

"Wait just a damned minute. What the hell is going on here?" Sam asked, storming around to face the two at our table.

"What?" Paul frowned, lifting one shoulder.

"Bella, not that we aren't thrilled to hear you talking again, but why now? What happened?" I asked, sensing Sam was too wound up to handle this delicately.

"I'm happy," Bella answered, as if that solved everything.

Paul grinned proudly, pulling her tighter into his embrace.

"Well, that's great, sweetie. Have you talked to your dad yet?" I asked.

"I talked to him a little yesterday," Bella nodded.

"Good. That's really good," I smiled.

"Yeah, that is good, but Bella… you need to tell us what happened that night in the woods. You don't have to do it today or tomorrow, but we need to know so we can take necessary measures," Sam insisted.

"Like what?" Bella frowned.

"We have a treaty with the Cullens. If they broke it, we need to know so we can prevent them from returning," Sam told her.

She bit her thumb as she looked from Sam to Paul, judging the two men's reactions. Paul gave her a smirk and a wink, making her smile shyly in return. Clearly, these two had a relationship that was developing much quicker than any of us had realized.

"Alright. Not today. Maybe tomorrow. I just want to enjoy a normal day, doing normal things for once," Bella pleaded.

"We can go down to First Beach. Maybe do a little cliff diving later. It'll be fun," Paul suggested, nudging her shoulder with his.

"That does sound fun. But first, breakfast. I'm starving," Bella grinned.

"It's almost ready. Just a few more minutes," I promised, turning back to the stove.

"Need any help, Emily?" Bella offered.

"I've got it, sweetie. Thank you, though," I assured her, piling up the bacon on one plate.

The conversation over breakfast was kept purposefully light with Paul and Bella teasing each other constantly. I worried when Paul told her she was so skinny a light breeze could knock her over when he put more food on her plate, but she came back by reminding him his silverware was a fork, not a bulldozer and he should really try to chew between bites. He'd simply laughed and kissed her sweetly before returning his attention to his own plate. It made me wonder if maybe the Elders had it wrong, if maybe they were imprints, just a different kind.

There were no rules to imprinting, only that the wolf be whatever the imprint needed. With that in mind, the answer was so obvious, I couldn't believe we hadn't seen it before.

Of course they're relationship was different. Of course Paul didn't have an epiphany moment where gravity shifted. Bella was completely shattered when they met, so different from Kim and myself. Paul's wolf would've recognized what Bella needed wasn't some aggressor trying to get into her pants. She had needed someone to smack her back to reality, to make her realize that life was still worth living.

She had needed Paul.

* * *

><p><strong>Paul's POV<strong>

"I definitely think you shocked 'em, Swan," I commented as we walked along First Beach hand in hand.

It was the first time I had ever done something so domestic, but I found I liked it.

A lot, actually.

Even if that did make me some whipped poodle.

"You think so, huh? What was your first clue?" Bella smirked, bumping her hip against mine.

"Well, I can honestly say I've never heard Em scream _quite _like _that_," I teased.

"Ew. I do not want to think about Emily _screaming_," Bella moaned, wrinkling her nose.

"Try hearing the moaning and groaning that goes on when those two get behind closed doors. Or having a front row seat when Sam is phased. There are some things, Swan, that you just can't un-see," I warned.

"You guys can see each other's thoughts when phased? How does that work?" Bella asked, swinging our hands between us.

"It helps us communicate when tracking leeches. The pack mind takes over and we can act as one entity," I told her.

"So Sam and Jared will see what happened last night?" Bella asked, blushing slightly.

"Probably. I doubt I'll be able to keep it out of my thoughts. You spend a lot of time on my mind, Swan," I said slyly, lifting her over a large piece of drift wood in our path.

"Oh, yeah? I don't mean to be such a distraction. Is there anything I can do to help?" Bella offered, batting her lashes up at me playfully.

"I can think of a few things," I growled, swinging her around.

"Paul!" Bella squealed, laughing as her legs wrapped around my waist.

I laughed with her, spinning faster until I knew she wouldn't be able to walk a straight line. She clutched my shoulders when I set her down, giggling like mad as she tried to gain her footing on the slick rocks.

"Easy, Swan," I chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"It's your fault," Bella accused, still giggling.

"I like it when you lean on me," I admitted, nuzzling her neck before giving the sensitive tendon a gentle nip.

She gasped softly, going languid in my arms, submitting beautifully.

I knew neither Sam nor Jared forced their imprints to submit to them the way I made Bella. Emily and Kim listened to their mates without complaint and rarely challenged them on principle alone, but I demanded more from Bella. Wolves had an instinctive need to dominate their mates and while Sam and Jared were happily with Emily and Kim simply obeying them, I wanted Bella to submit her body to me as well as her soul. She probably didn't even realize what I was doing and I damned sure wasn't going to stop. Besides, she seemed to like my teeth on her.

I knew I liked her teeth on me. The marks from last night had faded, a curse of being a werewolf. None of her marks on me would last, but I still felt the impression. Not in a physical sense, but more in a spiritual and emotional sense. It was a connection to her, something I would never regret or wish away.

I licked the skin beneath my teeth, soothing the slight sting I knew she probably felt. She sighed, leaning further into me as I tended the marks. The sudden urge to lick her all over, head to toe, was shocking and I would have been slightly concerned if I hadn't realized it was the wolf's desire. He wanted to groom and care for our mate in the best way he knew how, but I fought him back.

Now wasn't the time.

"Paul?" Bella questioned softly.

I paused, realizing I was still licking at her neck and stopped.

"Sorry," I mumbled, pulling away from her.

"It's okay. There's just someone coming," Bella indicated behind her.

Frustration raged through me as I realized I had been too caught up in her to notice the group of teenagers coming our way. If that had been a leech…

I never would've reacted in time.

She would've been gone and I wouldn't have been able to do a damned thing about it.

My wolf growled, arguing against my thoughts. He had noticed the teenagers coming, but hadn't alerted me because he knew they weren't a threat. He didn't want anything taking our attention away from our mate unless she was put in danger.

He would never let anything or anyone hurt her.

Not again.

His reassurance calmed the man and I was able to breathe easier, thankful for that other half of myself.

"Come on, Swan. Let's go this way," I suggested, pulling her off the beach and towards the trail leading to the cliffs.

It didn't take long for us to hike the trail, despite her tripping over everything from tree roots to air. I tried not to laugh at her near constant slips, but found it harder and harder as she grew more and more frustrated.

"Can't even walk a stupid straight line," Bella grumbled as we neared the top of the cliffs.

"Easy, Swan. The only one allowed to talk bad about your ass is me," I scolded her, slapping said ass.

"I wasn't complaining about my ass, Paul. I was complaining about my feet," Bella shot back.

"Those are mine, too," I insisted, spanking her again.

"Hey!" Bella cried, dancing out of reach.

I grinned at the playful smile on her face as she moved towards the edge.

"Better be careful, Swan, or you might end up at the bottom of the cliff," I warned.

She turned around, surprised to find herself so close to the edge and back away quickly. She huffed when she hit my chest, looking up to meet my gaze as I wrapped my arms around her.

"I've got you. I won't ever let you fall," I promised softly, nuzzling into her hair.

"That goes both ways, you know," Bella murmured, tilting her head further to rub her nose along my jaw.

"Too late, Swan. I've already fallen. For you," I rumbled, nipping her ear.

Our lips met, a soft exploration of each other's souls as the waves crashed below and a wolf howled off in the distance.

* * *

><p><strong>All together now! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWW! Such a cheesy line at the end! Hahaha! I swear, sometimes I'm embarrassed by how cheesy my characters sound… Sheesh. But, yay! Bella is almost completely normal! We've still got a few bumps in the road, of course, but we're getting there.<strong>

**Alrighty… next chapter will be…. Tuesday! I think we'll have a Tuesday/Friday update schedule. I'm usually able to write at least one chapter during the in-between time, so I never fall behind. It's a good space, I think. Only four days. And I usually update around mid-night EST, so you can **_**technically**_** get it a day early, depending on where you live. **

**Oh, and, Miss Guided Angel. I am sorry to say that Edward and Charlie will not be found shacked up in a hotel room in Seattle. I don't think Charlie would enjoy a round with the disco stick. Or any stick, for that matter.**

**One reviewer asked when I planned on having more wolves phase. Honestly, at this point, I'm not sure I'm going to have them phase. That's not to say Jacob won't show up again, but I'm not sure it'll be as a wolf. But, I'm willing to try writing that angle if it's what you guys want, so… **

**QUESTION: Should more of the Quileutes phase? Is so, how many and who?**

**Alright, my lovelies! I will see you next time!**


	11. Chapter 11: Keeping Bella

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Eleven

**Paul's POV**

My tongue lolled to the left as I raced through the woods, chasing the lingering scent of leech. The redhead, _Victoria_, had come snooping around La Push again, going so far as to trespass on Old Man Whitten's property. Jared had picked up her scent before she'd been able to attack, but it was too close. Old Man Whitten lived _just three miles_ from Sam and Emily. A vampire could travel that in thirty seconds.

As soon as I'd heard, my wolf had taken over and I had been patrolling the boarder ever since. Sam and Jared phased regularly, trying to convince me to take a break.

I couldn't.

Bella was in danger. My wolf felt it from our nose to the tip of our tail. And until the leech was dead, I wasn't giving up.

* * *

><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

I glanced up from the TV as another commercial came on, sighing when I saw Bella still in the same spot.

Three fucking days.

Paul had been out in the woods for three damn days and as each day passed, Bella progressively got worse.

Thankfully, she hadn't completely withdrawn into the zombie-like state she had been when she first arrived, but she wouldn't eat, couldn't sleep, and spent all day looking out the front window, waiting for Paul. Emily was starting worry, scared we would have to hospitalize her if she didn't start eating soon. She was losing what little weight she'd managed to gain and her color was fading making the dark circles under her eyes stand out starkly.

"Bella, why don't you come and help me fix dinner?" Emily suggested hopefully.

Bella looked from the window to Emily and back. The sigh that passed through her spoke of the deep weariness she was suffering from.

"Sure, Em," Bella agreed, standing slowly on wobbly legs.

I watched as she carefully made her way across the living room, her steps unsteady. As she disappeared into the kitchen with Emily, I decided enough was enough.

"I'm heading out, Em. I'll be back later," I called as I walked out the front door.

"Be safe! I love you," Emily called back just before the door shut behind me.

It didn't take me long to strip out of my shorts and phase once I was safely hidden within the forest. The power of the wolf rolled over me and I shook out my black pelt, taking a few seconds to get used to four legs instead of two.

_Paul, it's time to come home. Bella's worried,_ I said, trotting in his direction.

The grey wolf paused mid-step, shuddering at the images I pushed into his head. Bella huddled on the couch, eyes staring blankly out the window, struggling to walk after three days without food or sleep.

_I can't, Sam. That fucking leech is still out there. I have to protect her,_ Paul stressed, resuming his pace.

_She can't keep going like this, Paul. She needs you,_ I insisted.

The grey wolf stumbled, whining piteously when Paul continued to push it forward.

_Emily is worried we're going to have to hospitalize her if we can't get her to eat soon. She won't eat without you. You know this. Go home, Paul. __**Now!**_ I ordered, losing my patience with him.

Immediately, the wolf spun around and raced through the woods.

_You damn well better stay out here, Sam. If that fucking leech breaks through again…_ Paul growled, not bothering to hide his fear of losing Bella.

_Don't worry, Paul. We'll make sure she's safe,_ I assured him, watching as he streaked past me.

_I want that leech, Sam,_ Paul snarled as he came up to the house.

_We'll get her,_ I promised just before he phased.

I turned my nose to the air, sniffing for any hint of the leech. The sickly sweet scent drifted from the north and I took off, howling for Jared as I went.

* * *

><p><strong>Paul's POV<strong>

I phased just before the trees thinned and Sam's house came into view. The wolf was anxious to see Bella, having been away from her for too long. He was antsy, chomping at the bit to get inside. I had to force him to slow down or else we ran the risk of scaring her.

"PAUL!"

I looked up just in time to catch Bella as she jumped on me, her legs wrapping around my waist and her arms around my neck. My arms came around to catch her as I stumbled back, quickly regaining my balance.

"Paul, Paul, Paul," Bella chanted, rubbing her hands over my face, shoulders, chest, anywhere she could reach.

I let her touch, sensing she needed the reassurance. My wolf practically purred at finally having her hands on us again. I pressed my nose against her skin, breathing deeply to reassure myself and my wolf.

"I thought you'd left me," Bella sniffed, pulling back to meet my gaze.

"Never, Swan," I murmured, rubbing my nose against hers.

"You were gone for so long. You didn't even say goodbye," Bella pointed out, leaning her forehead against mine.

"I was patrolling. I have to keep you safe," I sighed, closing my eyes.

She began trembling in my arms, sobbing uncontrollably as I threaded the fingers of one hand through her hair. I kissed her forehead, trying to get her to calm down as I hushed her gently.

"You left. You left me! Why?" Bella started yelling, hitting my chest.

"Swan, I didn't leave," I tried to say.

"NO! You left me! I trusted you and you left me! Just like him!" Bella screamed, slapping at me until I was forced to put her down.

Her legs wouldn't support her and she fell onto her knees, taking me with her as I kept my arms wrapped around her.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I shouted over her.

Her screams and sobs melded together until I couldn't understand anything she said, but my wolf growled in my ear.

_The leech hurt her. He hurt our mate!_

"Oh, God, Swan. What did he do?" I asked, unable to make my voice more than a whisper.

"He… promised me he… wouldn't leave! He promised!" Bella sobbed angrily.

"What happened, Swan? What happened that day in the woods?" I pressed, though I already had an idea.

"Jasper tried to… attack me. Edward stopped him, but… he was so upset… He took me into the woods… to break up with me… told me I was nothing… just a distraction… that he'd gotten… what he wanted… and he was done… that I was a pathetic… human… who could never measure up… _to a vampire_," Bella hiccupped, clinging to me tightly.

My thoughts were whirling around in my head, trying to piece it all together. There had to be something she was leaving out.

"Swan… what _exactly_ did he do?" I asked, hoping I wouldn't need to clarify further.

"He… told me… the only thing… I was good for… was a snack… and I couldn't… even… be… that," Bella choked out.

I tried to hush her, sooth her so I could understand, but nothing worked.

"Before… he left… he… tied me down… and… and… sliced my stomach… open… I was… bleeding… and he… he…" Bella shuddered as she trailed off, unable to give voice to what he had done.

My wolf howled in agony as we realized the fucking blood sucker and drank from her, but Bella wasn't done yet.

"After… he licked the cut… so his venom closed it… and it _burned_… I couldn't move… and he just… walked away… he _thanked_ me and… said he'd be back soon… for another snack," Bella cried before she collapsed against my chest.

"Oh, God, Swan," I gasped, bending over her.

She fell, laying her head on my lap as I covered her body with my own. She curled in on herself, hugging my thigh to her chest.

"I'll never leave you. I love you too much. You're mine. Mine and my wolf's. We won't ever let you go," I swore.

We stayed there, in the back yard for nearly an hour before she finally lifted her head. Her brown eyes blinked up at me, rimmed in red. I reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear, allowing my fingers to linger along her cheek.

"I'm sorry," Bella croaked.

"Shh, Swan," I hushed, bumping my nose against her cheek.

"You're not like him. I didn't mean it," Bella sighed, leaning against my chest.

"I know, Swan," I soothed, resting my chin on top of her head.

"I missed you," Bella murmured sleepily.

"Me, too," I smiled, closing my eyes at the feelings coursing through me at having her relax into me.

A few seconds later and she was asleep, her head resting on my shoulder. Carefully, I lifted her into my arms before rising and taking her into the house. Emily gave me a sad smile as I walked through the kitchen, but I didn't stop to chat.

The guest bedroom door was open when I walked down the hallway. Bella had an arm wrapped around my neck and when I moved to lay her down, she tightened her hold.

"I'm not going anywhere, Swan," I promised, sliding into bed beside her.

She turned into me, tucking her arms between us, her head on my shoulder. With one arm thrown over her waist and the other around her shoulders, I held her tight as the exhaustion of the last few days finally caught up with me. I burrowed into her hair, closing my eyes and breathing deeply of the sweet scent I had been missing. My eyes drifted shut, my wolf settling down for a nice, long sleep with our mate.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay. Kind of a short chapter, but we found out why Bella had such a drastic reaction to Edward leaving. He drank from her. Bastard… <strong>

**The reason Bella felt the burning, but didn't change is because it was such a small amount. Edward only used enough to seal the wound, no more. It temporarily paralyzed her, but didn't start the change because there wasn't enough. **

**So, I had quite a few opposing responses on whether or not more wolves should phase. I have a very evil plan hatching that some of you (all of you) might hate me for, but I need one of two things to happen before I can write out my evil plot. One option is to have at least Jacob phase. The other… I'm not going to tell you, cause I'm feeling decidedly devilish today! Hehehehehehe!**

**Next chapter will be posted Friday! See you guys then!**


	12. Chapter 12: Jumping Bella

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Twelve

**Paul's POV**

The sound of howling had me rolling out of bed and diving for the window before I even fully realized what I was doing. I phased in the back yard, grateful for the heavy tree coverage as well as the darkness of night.

_Sam! What's happening?_ I asked, racing into the woods.

_We have the leech cornered! _Jared cheered, showing me the image of Victoria pinned against a wall of flat rock.

_Get here. Now!_ Sam demanded, snapping at the redhead.

_Almost to you, _I told him, coming up on the cliff-face.

I spotted them up ahead, my feet speeding forward at the thought of finally catching the leech threatening my Swan. I was maybe a dozen or so yards away when she suddenly broke free of Sam and Jared, swiping her extended nails over Jared's leg. His yelp distracted Sam who was quickly shoved aside as Victoria raced towards me.

_No!_ I snarled, lunging forward.

My teeth wrapped around hard flesh, digging in past skin and muscle until I reached bone. With a growl, I yanked on the limb I'd managed to catch.

"NO!" Victoria screeched in pain and anger as her leg detached.

I tossed the leg away, spinning on the spot and diving for her again. Her claws nearly caught my shoulder, but I dodged at the last minute. A sudden flash of black alerted me to the fact that Sam had joined the fight. Another flash of brown and I knew Jared was closing in as well.

_Let's finish__ this,_ Jared growled, the fur along his back rising.

As one, we lunged for the leech, each of us catching some part of her body. Her screams echoed off the rocky surroundings, but no one would be coming to her rescue. In a matter of minutes, she was in pieces around us.

_Paul, light the fire,_ Sam ordered, nosing the pieces of her together. He snorted when the fingers of one of the hands went up his nose, snapping the offending limb in two with his teeth.

Jared trotted towards us, her leg in his mouth, as I phased. Reaching for the flint in the shorts on Sam's leg, I glared at the leeches head. Her eyes blinked at me, a snarl still on her lips. Dispassionately, I leaned down, hitting the flint against a rock until sparks exploded from the end and fire encompassed the twitching body parts.

"It's finally over," Sam sighed from beside me, sounding as though the weight of the world was finally off his shoulders.

"Thank, God. We can finally ease up on patrols," Jared grinned, throwing his arm around my shoulders.

I smirked at my brothers, the satisfaction of a successful kill thrumming through all of us. The urge to be back home with Bella came over me with an unexpected intensity, to the point where I actually started trembling.

"I have to go," I murmured, ducking from under Jared's arm.

"Alright. Back to Bella with you," Jared teased, kicking rocks in my direction.

I laughed as I raced away, turning it to a howl as I phased. The ground pounded beneath my paws as I covered the few miles between me and my Swan.

* * *

><p><strong>Sam's<strong>** POV**

With the redheaded leech taken care of, everyone settled into an easy routine. We only patrolled about twice a day, morning and night. The imprints were happier having us around more often and we were finally catching up on some well-deserved sleep.

The only one who seemed to still be on edge was Bella.

The morning after we killed the leech, Paul had carried a crying Bella from the house. Emily had immediately sent me after them, concerned about the girl. I had walked with Paul as he carried Bella down to where the leech's ashes still smoldered. Bella had stared at the pile of ashes for minutes, as if waiting for them to reform into her tormenter. Even after Paul had coaxed her back to the house, Bella had been anxious, jumping at the slightest sounds. Paul thought it had something to do with her finally admitting to what happened between her and the Cullen leech.

We were all struggling with the new information, wanting to kill the Cullens if they ever returned, but unable to knowing they hadn't technically broken the treaty. Paul had told us how he suspected Edward had used some sort of coercion on Bella to form a tentative mating bond, before abandoning her in the woods.

That had been a difficult pill to swallow.

I knew that if the Cullens ever returned, I would have a difficult time keeping Paul from attacking Edward. My hope was that they never returned, but things never seemed to be easy.

I had a feeling we would be seeing the Cullens again sooner rather than later.

"Dude, you gonna jump or what?" Jared asked, jolting me from my thoughts.

"After you," I smirked, indicating for him to precede me.

With a shout of "woo-hoo", he launched himself over the side of the cliff. Kim laughed, applauding her mate's backflip.

"Oh my God! Is he crazy?"

I turned to see Bella staring after Jared in horror, Paul's arms securely wrapped around her waist. He chuckled at her concern, gently nudging her closer to the edge.

"He's fine, Swan. Look," Paul assured her, pointing out the small spot that was Jared.

"Too high," Bella gasped, pushing back against Paul.

He shot me a grin as he kept Bella in place, despite her attempts to get away.

"Don't worry, Bella. It's fun," I insisted, taking a running start and diving from the cliff.

Her scream followed me all the way down until I broke through the water. I came up to Jared laughing and calling up for Bella to jump.

"Paul! Don't you dare!" Bella cried.

I could just make out their figures. Paul had a hand wrapped around Bella's arm, pulling her towards the edge of the cliff.

"Come on, Swan. I promise I'll hold on to you the whole time," Paul coaxed.

"No way! You'll drop me and I'll hit the rocks or I'll drown or-"

"You saying I can't keep you safe, Swan? Them's fightin' words," Paul warned.

She probably had half a second to react before Paul scooped her up and threw them both off the cliff. She screamed the whole way down, no doubt making Paul's ears ring. Jared and I treaded water as they crashed into the waves, reappearing moments later. Paul was laughing while Bella sputtered, spitting out water.

"You… horrible… man," Bella gasped, trying to pull away from him.

"Oh, come on, Swan. It was fun," Paul chuckled, pulling her into his arms.

"Jesus, Bella. I didn't know the human voice could get that high. You were hitting notes only dogs can hear!" Jared laughed.

"Or wolves," Bella spat, unable to hide her grin.

"Touché, girly," Jared grinned.

"Let's get out of the water before Bella catches a cold," I suggested, already swimming to shore.

"Ah, yes. The poor, pathetic little pale face. Not used to our colder weather, are you, Arizona?" Jared chuckled, floating on his back.

A splashing followed by laughter had me looking over my shoulder to see Jared just coming up from under the water and Bella wrapped around Paul.

"You little minx!" Jared accused, throwing water their way.

"You deserved it, you dog," Bella insisted, giggling.

"Paul, control your woman," Jared demanded, swimming away from the couple.

"Nah. I kinda like her wild," Paul smirked, giving her a shove towards shore.

"Hey! I'm not the one who goes out and chases squirrels up trees," Bella shot back, her voice again accompanied with the sound of water splashing.

We finally made it to land, but the three of them continued bantering back and forth as we made our way back up to the top of the cliff. Emily greeted us with a basket of sandwiches.

"Come on. Lunch before you go trying to outdo each other's stunts," Emily insisted, setting out the picnic lunch.

"This looks great, Em," I praised, kissing her scarred cheek.

"Thanks. Now, eat," Emily smiled, kissing me back.

"Yes, ma'am," I saluted, settling down to share a meal with my pack.

* * *

><p><strong>Aw. Happy pack time! Yay! And Victoria is dead! Woot-woot!<strong>

**Alrighty, next chapter will be… Tuesday!**

**See you guys then!**


	13. Chapter 13: Seeing Bella

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Thirteen

**Sam's POV**

"Are you sure you got everything, sweetpea?" Emily asked as Bella finished packing.

"Yeah. Besides, it's not like I won't be back," Bella smiled weakly.

"That's right. You better come back soon. I'm gonna miss having you around," Emily pouted, hugging the smaller woman.

"Of course. I'll miss you, too," Bella assured her, patting her back.

I smiled, leaning against the doorway as Emily fussed over Bella, making sure all her bags were packed correctly and quadruple checking all the drawers for forgotten clothing. Bella glanced over at me, rolling her eyes good-naturedly. I shot her a wink in return, knowing the two were just trying to put off the inevitable.

"Is she ready?"

I looked over my shoulder to see a nervous Paul shuffling his feet in my hallway. I knew the wolf in him was howling to get out, to stop Bella from leaving, but the man knew she had to return to Forks. Charlie was finally home from his court case and very anxious to see his little girl. We were expecting him to show up any minute to take her home.

"Almost," Bella answered him from within the bedroom.

Paul tensed momentarily, as if the soft sound physically affected him. I knew the feeling well and I worried about how he and Bella would deal with this separation. Emily's theory of their bond had been accepted by the pack and the Elders to the point where Bella was now looked upon as an imprint, just like Kim and Emily. It also meant that Paul couldn't stand to be away from her for more than twenty-four hours and she him. It was going to be difficult coordinating their relationship and I only prayed that Charlie wouldn't mind Bella coming to spend some nights at La Push with me and Emily.

Paul suddenly jerked towards the front of the house, a pitiful whine escaping his throat a second before I heard the sound of gravel crunching in the driveway.

"Come here, Em," I murmured, holding my arm out for her.

She smiled warmly at Bella as she ducked into my embrace, walking with me to greet the Chief. Paul darted into the bedroom, shutting the door softly behind him.

"We need to keep Charlie busy for a few minutes so they can have a proper goodbye," I whispered to my mate.

"Okay," Emily nodded, kissing the bottom of my chin.

I growled softly at her teasing, tightening my arm around her shoulders affectionately as we went to greet our guest.

* * *

><p><strong>Paul's POV<strong>

I closed the bedroom door behind me, my eyes following Bella as she packed up the last of her things. I knew she was aware of my presence, but she refused to meet my gaze. When she shoved the same shirt into the suitcase for the fourth time, I finally stepped forward.

"Swan."

Her watery brown eyes looked up at me and she sobbed when I held my arms out for her. She rushed into my embrace, clutching me tightly to her as she cried.

"I don't want to go. I want to stay with you and Sam and Emily," Bella sobbed.

"I know, Swan, but you have to go home. Charlie has missed you," I told her, rubbing my hand up and down her spine in an attempt to comfort her.

"But I'll never be able to see you," Bella declared.

"Sure you will. Nothing could keep me away from you, Swan. Nothing," I vowed harshly, nudging her wet cheek with my nose.

She turned to meet my lips, opening herself to my searching tongue. Her tears moistened my own cheeks as I shared her fear and sorrow. I knew she was terrified that I wouldn't come for her, that I would just let Charlie take her home and move on like she'd never been here. Our bond was so strong, but I knew she didn't completely trust it just yet. She's been through the same thing with that fucking leech, but this was different. Leaving her alone would be like signing my own death warrant.

I couldn't… wouldn't survive without her.

* * *

><p><strong>Charlie's POV<strong>

Bella came out of the house about ten minutes after I arrived, her eyes puffy and red from crying. I instantly thought to accuse Paul of hurting her, but the way Bella clung to the boy's arm dismissed my assumption. The way Paul positioned his body slightly in front of hers showed just how protective of my Bella he had become in the past month and a half.

"Hey, Dad," Bella greeted me softly.

To finally hear her voice in person nearly sent me to my knees. My biggest fear while in Seattle was that she wouldn't be able to talk to me in person, that the phone was what had given her the ability to talk to me. I had to clear my throat a few times before I could answer her back.

"Hey, Bells. You ready to go home?" I asked gruffly.

She seemed to turn into herself at my question and, for a second, I was terrified I'd set her back, but Paul brought her hand up to his lips, kissing her fingers softly and she was able to get a hold of herself. Looking at the spot in front of my feet, she nodded her head.

I watched as Paul bowed down slightly to whisper in her ear. A tear ran down her cheek as she leaned into him, but she managed a weak smile when he kissed her temple. The tenderness Paul showed my daughter told me more than words ever could. The supporting arm around her shoulders, the gentle way he touched her, even the warm way he looked at her spoke of a man in love. It didn't escape my attention that this was the boy who had helped Bella heal. I knew there was a connection between the two of them that went deeper than anything I'd seen previously.

"Paul, why don't you join us for dinner? I was going to take Bella to the diner so she didn't have to cook our first night back at the house. Not like there's anything at the house _to_ cook," I chuckled.

Paul looked down at Bella, smiling slightly when he noticed her hopeful expression.

"Sure, thing. Thanks, Chief," Paul grinned, squeezing Bella's shoulders affectionately.

"Mind helping me put these bags in the car?" I asked, indicating Bella's luggage.

"I've got them," Paul brushed me off, taking two bags towards the trunk.

Bella walked forward, wrapping her arms around my waist and hugging me tightly.

"Thanks, Dad," Bella murmured into my chest.

"Welcome, Bells," I coughed, patting her back awkwardly.

She turned back to Emily and Sam, moving to hug them both. Sam came forward and shook my hand while Emily and Bella said goodbye.

"Anytime you need to work overnight or a long weekend, you let us know. We'd be happy to have her again," Sam offered.

"I might have to take you up on that. I have a feeling the department will be busy with the closing of this case. We have a lot of work to catch up on," I sighed, not looking forward to the piles of paperwork awaiting me come Monday.

"Just give me a call. I'll even come pick her up," Sam grinned wryly.

"I appreciate it. I'll let you know," I nodded in thanks.

Bella came to stand by my side, smiling happily as Emily slid under Sam's arm.

"Ready to go, Bells?" I asked.

"Yeah. I'm sure Paul is starving. He skipped lunch," Bella giggled, casting a fond glance in the boy's direction.

"Well, let's go then. Something tells me that boy needs to be fed pretty often," I chuckled, waving her towards the cruiser.

She climbed into the backseat, Paul sliding in right behind her. I frowned, not sure I liked the seating arrangement, but I didn't want to make Bella uncomfortable by having one of them move. Holding my tongue, I climbed in the front seat, waving to Sam and Emily as I drove off.

"How was your trip, Dad?" Bella asked, surprising me.

I had expected them to remain wrapped up in their own little world. It was nice to know Bella wasn't going to pretend like I wasn't there.

"It was good. Light traffic the whole way, which was nice. The hotel I stayed at was really nice, thanks to the prosecuting attorney. Real nice lady. We had dinner a few times," I told her.

"Really? Any chance of that continuing?" Bella asked slyly.

"Ehm. Well, she did say she had a local case the next town over and that she wouldn't mind getting together," I coughed, feeling the heat rush to my cheeks.

"Leave your dad alone, Swan. He doesn't need his daughter cramping his style," Paul insisted.

I glanced in the rearview mirror to see him tap her nose, making her scrunch up her face. It struck me as odd that he called her by our last name and I made a mental note to ask Bella about it once we were alone.

I pulled up to the diner before Bella could respond to Paul's teasing comment and we all piled out of the cruiser. Bella gave me a smile as she came around the cruiser, Paul close behind her. He looked around the area as we walked into the diner, then looked around the diner as we walked to our table. His eyes seemed to take in every detail as he smoothly maneuvered it so that Bella was always between me and him, showcasing his instincts as a cop.

"So, Paul. You ever think about going into law enforcement?" I asked after our drinks had arrived.

Bella snorted, nearly spraying water everywhere. Paul patted her back roughly as she started coughing.

"Jesus, Swan. Be careful, will you?" Paul frowned.

"Sorry," Bella gasped, taking another sip of water.

Paul watched her for a few seconds, I suppose to make sure she wouldn't choke again before turning back to me.

"I actually do a little work for La Push law enforcement, Chief. Sam, Jared, and I all work minor security details. We help patrol the area when things get hectic. It doesn't pay much, but that's not really why we do it," Paul grinned.

"You've got that instinct. I noticed it when we came in. It's always good to be aware of your surroundings. That's something I've tried to teach Bella, but she has absolutely no sense of self-preservation. I have to force her to carry that mace when she leaves the house," I told him, causing my daughter to huff indignantly.

"Hey! At least I carry it. It's not like I've ever had to use the thing, though," Bella grumbled.

"And I pray that you never will, but at least it gives your old man some peace of mind," I said.

"Trust me, Chief. I'm well aware of Bella's inability to sense danger. Not only can she not sense it, but she seems to attract it in hordes," Paul chuckled.

"It's not my fault I'm a danger magnet. And stop ganging up on me! It's not fair," Bella insisted, pouting slightly.

"Tough, Swan. Get used to it," Paul smirked, tapping her nose again.

Bella playfully snapped at his finger, making Paul and I laugh at her attempt to be ferocious.

The topic of conversation shifted then, turning to sports and what they had done in La Push while I was in Seattle. I listened as Paul proposed having Bella finish out her senior year through the community college, liking the idea more and more as he went on. It was the perfect solution seeing as Bella had missed so many weeks of school. There was no way they'd let her graduate on time. Taking classes through the community college would not only let her graduate on time, but would help with her college credits after high school. While Paul and I talked, Bella seemed to be content to just sit quietly, offering her opinion occasionally. She smiled freely at both of us, clearly pleased we were getting along.

I had worried when I'd first arrived at Sam and Emily's that Paul would turn out to be another Cullen, but from the way Bella was acting, I could tell it was as different as night and day. Clearly Paul would not be keeping Bella away from me or all to himself, like Cullen had. Not only had she managed to make friends in La Push, she was obviously making an effort to include me in her life. Unlike with Cullen, she didn't ask me to be nice to Paul or to even give him a chance. Paul was earning his position in my daughter's life all on his own, as he should.

Looking at the two of them, it was clear to see that he adored her just as she seemed to revere him. Yet, at the same time, they were two separate beings. Cullen had dominated the relationship between him and Bella, but Paul was content to just be near her. Instinctively, I knew he would protect her till his last breath.

It hit me that in a few years, I would probably be sitting in this same spot with a grandkid or two sitting beside me. The thought of Bella having children had never occurred to me before, but I could easily see the two of them taking on life together. They were so different from Renee and me, they could actually make a go of it and make it work. My little girl… was becoming someone else's.

"Dad?"

I blinked, surprised to have become so caught up in my thoughts that I lost track of the conversation.

"What was that, Bells?" I asked.

"I asked if you wanted desert," Bella repeated.

"I don't think so, honey. I don't need to sugar keeping me up tonight," I answered.

"We can go, then. Paul promised to help patrol La Push later tonight. His shift starts soon," Bella told me.

"Alright. Let's get you back, then," I grunted, rising from the table.

"Thanks for dinner, Chief Swan," Paul nodded, shaking my hand.

"Anytime, son. Thanks for keeping an eye on my girl," I said.

I savored the words, knowing I wouldn't be able to call her mine for much longer.


	14. Chapter 14: Missing Bella

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Fourteen

**Paul's POV**

I couldn't control my body's jerking as I walked into Sam's house. It had been three days since I'd seen Bella, the longest we'd been apart since we met. My wolf was anxious to see her, but our schedules and duties had kept us apart. Even hearing her voice over the phone wasn't enough to calm my wolf. I knew I was only a few hours from completely losing my shit on everyone between me and my girl.

"Sam!" I shouted, storming into the house.

My Alpha immediately appeared around the corner from the kitchen, eyes wide as he looked me up and down.

"Sam, what's-" Emily started, trying to leave the kitchen.

"Stay back!" Sam barked, gently pushing her back.

"Sam!" Emily cried out in annoyance, but Sam ignored her as he slowly made his way towards me.

"Paul, calm down," Sam soothed.

"Need… her," I growled, my arms trembling violently.

"I understand. We'll call her, okay. Just calm down," Sam said slowly.

I couldn't stop snarling, but I managed to nod in agreement. Not taking his eyes off me, he turned slightly to talk to Emily in the kitchen.

"Em, call Bella. Ask her to come down here," Sam called.

"I just hung up with her. She's on her way," Emily told him, poking her head out.

"You hear that, Paul? She's on her way. She'll be here soon," Sam murmured.

I was able to stop growling, but my breathing remained irregular as I began pacing the small living room. I clenched my fingers, trying to calm the tremors, but unable to do so as my wolf continued to fight me for control.

"Did something happen, Paul?" Sam asked.

My head snapped around to stare at him, baring my teeth in a show of aggression. Sam snarled back, reminding me of my place, but I was too far gone to really care. All I cared about was seeing my Swan as soon as possible.

"If you can't control yourself, Paul, you need to go outside. I won't have you destroying Emily's things," Sam insisted as gently yet firmly as possible.

With one last snarl at my Alpha, I spun around and stormed out of the house before I ended up breaking something. I hated that I had so little control over myself, hated that Bella had to come down to help keep me calm. Damn it, I should've been able to last three fucking days without seeing her.

"SHIT!" I roared, throwing a punch at the closest tree, not nearly satisfied with the resounding crack.

I ignored the throbbing in my hand, knowing it would heal in a matter of minutes.

"Oh my God! Are you alright?"

I turned at the rough feminine voice, in no mood to put up with some woman's hysterics.

"I'm fine," I spat in her direction, glaring at the Quileute woman who frowned at my hand in concern.

"You should probably have a doctor look at that," she said, coming to stop a few feet away.

"It's fine," I repeated, willing her away.

"Are you sure? I mean, my Jeep is parked just over there. I could give you a ride," the woman offered, indicating over her shoulder when she mentioned her car.

"No. Now, leave," I growled, taking a menacing step towards her.

"Well, fuck you, buddy. I was just trying to help," the woman frowned, meeting my gaze.

The world tilted drastically, nearly sending me off balance as everything shifted before tying to the woman in front of me. My wolf howled inside me and as I realized what had just occurred, I was tempted to join him.

I had just imprinted on Rachel-fucking-Black.

As the realization sank in, watching her walk away, I felt a shift in the air followed by a desolate howl and knew.

Another wolf had phased.

* * *

><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

The howled pierced through the house as I felt the desperation and fear suddenly clouding my system. Groaning at what else could possibly go wrong, I hurried towards the door.

"We've got another wolf! I'll be back as soon as I can!" I called, racing out the door and towards the woods.

I stopped short when I saw Rachel Black walking away from a stunned looking Paul. Grabbing him by the scruff of his neck, I pulled him into the forest with me.

"We have another wolf. We need to see who it is. You can come back for Bella after," I told him, already shucking my shorts.

Paul phased instantly, not even bothering to remove his clothing or his shoes. His thoughts, coupled with Jacob Black's, suddenly bombarded my mind.

_Nonononon__onono! No! I couldn't… No… Swan__… No… Why?_

_What's happening? Why am I… Who are you? What are__ you doing in my head?_

_Imprint…. Fucking imprint… why?... Oh, God… My Swan… Mine…_

_**Quiet!**_ I roared, silencing both of their thoughts as I felt Jared phase.

_What's going on?_ Jared asked.

_It seems Jacob has phased and Paul has… imprinted?_ I informed Jared.

_What? Holy… Does she know?_ Jared asked as he, Paul, and I made our way towards Jacob.

_I believe it just happened,_ I answered.

_Shit. This is going to kill her,_ Jared whined sympathetically.

_We'll worry about that later. Right now, we need to focus on__ Jacob,_ I insisted as we came upon a russet colored wolf, shivering in the foliage behind the Black's garage.

For the next hour, Jared and I worked with Jacob until he was able to phase back to human form, explaining all there was to know about being a werewolf. Paul watched dejectedly, his thoughts remaining silent from my order as Alpha. He did what he was told, but nothing more. I knew the respite I was granting him would not help matter when I finally allowed his thoughts to run freely, but I didn't want to put Jared and Jacob through the agony that would accompany the realization of what had happened.

Once Jacob had phased back to human, Jared phased as well, accompanying him into the house.

"We'll be inside if you need us," Jared called over his shoulder.

I chuffed in acknowledgement before turning back to my packmate.

_Alright, Paul. What happened?_ I asked wearily.

* * *

><p><strong>Emily's POV<strong>

"Did Sam say when they would be back?" Bella asked as she kneaded dough on the counter.

"No, just that another wolf had phased," I told her for the eleventh time.

I knew she was worried, as was I, but there was nothing we could do except wait for Sam and Paul to return and explain. I knew Sam would be devastated at the news of yet another wolf phasing and I had to be prepared for any way that devastation might present itself. The best way I knew to deal with the nerves that came from being mated to a werewolf was to cook. It helped keep me calm and helped the pack when they finally returned.

The sun was starting to set and I was getting more and more worried as the sky slowly darkened, wondering what was keeping Sam so long.

As soon as the thought entered my mind, he walked through the back door, looking completely exhausted.

"Thank God, you're alright. Sit down," I cosseted, hurrying to help him into a chair.

"It was Jacob Black," Sam sighed heavily, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Jake? He phased?" Bella asked, wiping off her dough covered hands as she came to stand before Sam.

Sam nodded, hanging his head tiredly as his arm wrapped around my waist.

"What about Paul? Where is he?" Bella asked, looking out the back door as if expecting him to appear.

"He stayed with Jacob to run patrols and teach him the ropes," Sam answered hesitantly.

"But Paul hates Jake," Bella frowned.

"Jacob is pack now. Paul's just looking out for him," Sam shrugged noncommittally.

I shared a look with Bella, both of us showing our confusion. Even though Jacob was now pack, I knew Paul would never voluntarily stay away from Bella to teach the new wolf the ropes. A sensation at the base of my neck and the tightening of my stomach gave me the feeling that something had gone horribly wrong during the course of the day.

"When will he be back?" Bella asked softly, trying to hide her hurt and confusion.

"Probably not till morning. I'm sorry to have you come all the way down here to see him, but we weren't expecting this," Sam apologized ardently.

"It's alright. Would you have him call me when he gets in? I'd at least like to hear from him," Bella smiled, though it lacked any warmth.

"Sure," Sam nodded weakly.

"Thanks. I'll, um, I'll see you guys later," Bella stuttered before leaving.

I waited until the sound of her old pick-up roared away before I turned to my mate.

"What happened? Other than Jake phasing?" I asked, moving to sit beside him.

He pulled me into his lap before I could take my seat, burrowing his face into my neck as he shook.

"Paul imprinted," Sam choked.

"No!" I gasped, hand flying to my chest as my eyes closed painfully.

"Yes. On Rachel Black. She stopped when she saw him punching a tree in our yard. Their eyes met and…" Sam trailed off.

"This is going to kill her," I breathed, tears prickling my eyes.

Sam said nothing, just held me tighter.

"What are we going to do?" I asked, wrapping my arms around him.

"I don't know."

* * *

><p><strong>DON'T HATE ME! Seriously, do not hate me! Feel free to rant and rave all you want, but DO NOT give up on this story! My characters always get a happy ending. ALWAYS! So, no throwing rotten fruit or veggies at me.<strong>

**The next chapter will be posted… Tuesday!**

**See you guys then!**


	15. Chapter 15: Hurting Bella

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Fifteen

**Bella's POV!**

I stared down as the waves crashed against the harsh surface of the rock face beneath me. My thoughts whirled around and around in my head, a constant buzz of denial at the news that had been so carelessly delivered to me.

_Paul had imprinted._

There was no hole in my chest, no phantom pain or inability to breathe. I figured some part of me had to have known this day would come, had known to prepare for this horrid event.

What would it be like, to just throw the empty shell of my body over the ledge of this cliff? Would it hurt, dying? Would I _feel_ it? I couldn't feel anything now and it made me doubt death's ability to cause pain. My soul was already dead. Any torment caused on my outer self couldn't touch the agony of my soul being forcefully ripped from my body.

A soft breeze lifted my hair off my shoulders and I tilted my head back to catch the rays of the sun peeking through the clouds. It seemed fitting that I should die on a beautiful day like this one. They were so rare in Forks and La Push. My last chance to feel the sun and I was left cold.

If only I had just stayed home, I could've pretended just a little while longer.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Flashback<strong>_

_I climbed out of the cab of my truck, intent on finally seeing Paul after nearly a week without so much as a phone call. If Sam hadn't assured me everything was fine, I would have thought Paul had given up on me. The fear of abandonment was held off only by the daily calls from Sam and Emily, keeping me informed of my wolf's comings and goings._

_Still, I had missed him and I needed to see him._

_I walked up Sam and Emily's front steps, hoping they would be able to track Paul down for me. I had no idea where he actually lived, having never visited his house, but I knew he spent most of his time with his Alpha._

"_Hello? Anybody home?" I called as I opened the door._

_Silence greeted me, which was strange. Usually Emily would be busy cooking up lunch for the pack at this time._

"_Emily? Sam? Are you guys here?" I tried, walking into the house._

_No response greeted me and I let my shoulders slump in defeat. I didn't know where they were or how long they'd be gone, but I didn't want to invade their house to wait for their return. _

_Hoping that maybe I would run into Paul while I waited on First Beach, I exited the house, coming up short when I saw Jake storming across the yard. He was huge, nearly as big as Sam, and his gorgeous hair had been trimmed close to his head. His muscles bulged as he strode across the law, trembling as he struggled against phasing._

"_What are you doing here, Bella?" Jake asked harshly._

"_I was looking for Paul," I answered slowly, unsure of what to do with the angry werewolf before me._

_Jake snorted, sneering as he climbed up the stairs to stand in front of me._

"_You won't find him around here. He's been camping out at my place. Constantly," Jake told me._

"_What? Why?" I frowned, confused._

_Paul hated Jake, if only because of the way Jake had treated me that day on First Beach._

"_Guess it's because that's where Rachel is," Jake shrugged wiping his face clean of any expression._

"_Your sister? I didn't know she and Paul were friends," I said, still confused._

_Jake snorted again, giving me a pitying look that had me taking a step back._

"_Yeah, I'm sure they're _just friends_," Jake mocked._

"_Wha-what do you mean?" I asked, not sure I wanted to know the answer._

"_Well, I doubt it's possible for a wolf to be just friends with their imprint," Jake answered with a casual shrug._

"_What?" I gasped, sure I had heard him wrong._

"_Yeah. Can you believe it? Just my luck my sister ends up being that asshole's imprint. Hopefully Rachel can convince him to move back to Seattle with her. I sure as hell don't want to have to hear the two of them going at it. Mine and Rachel's room share a wall, you know," Jake informed me._

_I couldn't answer, couldn't breathe, couldn't think._

_Paul had imprinted. _

_On Rachel Black._

_It suddenly made sense. Why he'd been avoiding me. Why he hadn't returned my phone calls. Why Sam had told me to stay away._

_Because I wasn't Paul's._

_And Paul wasn't mine._

* * *

><p>I doubt Jake even knew what he'd done by telling me about the imprint. Even if he had known, he probably would never expect the news to result in me ending up here. He was blissfully unaware of the magnitude of his words, leaving me alone, abandoned, for the second time.<p>

Completely worthless.

Just a distraction.

It would be so easy to just slip over the edge, falling into the oblivion the ocean promised. No more hurting, no more lies, no more broken promises.

"I loved you," I whispered to the wind.

I wasn't entirely sure who I was telling, Paul or Edward, but it didn't really matter in the end. Neither one was there to stop me as I stepped over the ledge.

And fell.

* * *

><p><strong>I know, I know. It's short and you're all pissed. Don't hate me! <strong>

**Next chapter will be up on… Friday!**

**See you guys then!**


	16. Chapter 16: Following Bella

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Sixteen

**Paul's POV**

Exhaustion weighed me down as I walked up the steps into Sam and Emily's house. This had been the worst week of my life, filled with problem after problem.

Jacob Black was a pain in my ass, constantly bitching about how unfair it was that he had phased and how he couldn't hang out with his own friends. Add in his snide comments about his fucking sister on top of that and I was ready to kill the pup. It's not like I had wanted to imprint on Rachel, it had just happened.

And now I spent all my time thinking about her.

"Sam? You here?" I called as I walked into the house.

Jacob came out of the kitchen, munching on a sandwich.

"Sup," Jacob nodded in greeting.

"Where's Sam?" I asked tiredly.

I so did not want to deal with Jacob in that moment.

"Dunno," Jacob mumbled, shoving the rest of the sandwich into his mouth.

"Alright, well, if you see him, tell him I headed home to catch some sleep," I sighed, turning to leave the house.

"Oh, hey. Bella was here looking for you earlier," Jacob said nonchalantly, flopping down onto the couch.

I paused, my hand on the doorknob, and looked at him. He flicked on the TV and began surfing through the channels.

"What did you tell her?" I asked huskily, trying to keep down my panic.

I couldn't see her. Not yet.

"Hmm? Oh. Uh, I told her you were probably at my place with Rachel," Jacob shrugged, not looking away from the TV.

"You told her about Rachel?" I asked, feeling an entirely different kind of panic take over.

"Well, yeah," Jacob frowned, briefly glancing at me.

"What did you tell her?" I demanded, storming towards him.

"Dude, chill. I just told her you'd imprinted. No big deal," Jacob defended, holding up his hands innocently.

"You fucking idiot!" I roared, dragging him up off the couch by his throat.

I slammed him against the wall, growling as he grappled against my hold.

"Where did she go? WHERE?" I shouted, cracking the wall as I slammed him into it again and again.

"Don't… know! She… left… didn't… say… where," Jacob gasped, struggling to breathe.

I dropped him to the floor and raced outside, sniffing the air for any linger trace of her. My wolf growled when we finally caught her scent. In seconds, I was running through the woods as the wolf, tracking her.

_What are you doing, Swan?_ I wondered as I followed her trail up to the cliffs.

Fear fed my adrenaline, pushing me harder, faster, until I came upon her. She stood at the very edge of the cliff, her face tilted to the sunlight streaming down. My sensitive ears picked up on her whispered "I loved you" right before I watched her disappear of the edge.

"NO!" I screamed mid-phase, following her over.

* * *

><p><strong>Bella's POV<strong>

"Please. Oh, God, please. Wake up, Bella. Please, wake up."

Hot hands ran over every inch of my body, shocking against the icy water that had frozen my veins.

"Please… Bella, please," a voice sobbed from above me.

The inky blackness pressing down on me was comforting, but the voice sounded so sad that I fought against it.

"I need you, Swan… please," the voice pleaded.

Wet warmth fell on my cheeks as the hands gently brushed across my jaw and neck.

"Please," the voice breathed, hot breath fanning across my face.

Forcing my heavy lids to open, I blinked up into the darkest brown eyes I'd ever seen swimming with tears.

"Oh, God. Thank, God," Paul cried, pulling me into his arms.

"P-Paul?" I rasped, unable to move my arms.

"Shh. I've got you, Swan," Paul soothed, rocking me gently.

"No," I whimpered, trying to pull away.

His arms tightened around me, his nose buried into my neck as his chest began rumbling.

"Why? Why did you jump?" Paul asked, his voice rough.

"You… were going… to leave me," I managed to gasp out, each word setting fire through my throat.

"No. No, no, no," Paul crooned painfully.

"Jake… said… Rachel," I tried to say.

"No. God, Swan, no. Never. I promised, remember," Paul insisted.

"You… lied," I accused before coughing violently.

Paul whined, the sound incredibly wolf-like as he nudged his nose against my cheek. I jumped slightly when his tongue began licking my neck, showing even more of his wolf.

"My wolf… he wants _you_, not Rachel," Paul whispered against my skin.

"Liar," I croaked, wincing at the sting in my throat.

"Stop talking, Swan. You'll only hurt yourself more," Paul murmured, kissing my throat.

I swallowed with difficulty and tried to sit up. He let me, but his arms stayed wrapped around my waist. As soon as I was somewhat vertical, he shifted me into his lap, placing my head on his shoulder. I was too tired to fight him and relaxed into his embrace.

"Now, you keep quiet and listen, alright? Yes, I imprinted on Rachel, but it doesn't change anything. My wolf doesn't want her. In fact, he hates her. I've been hanging around with her because I'm trying to make my wolf like her enough not to kill her. My wolf… he thinks she's a threat to you and he wants to hurt her for it. _You_ are our mate. We only want _you_," Paul vowed as he rubbed my arms to warm me up.

I started shivering, the shock of the jump and the cold wearing off as his body heat penetrated through the ice encasing my veins.

"W-w-what ab-bout R-R-Rach-chel?" I stuttered.

"We need to get you back to Sam and Emily's. You're going to freeze to death out here," Paul frowned, standing up with me cradled against his chest.

Although I knew he hadn't answered my question, I realized I really did need to get out of my wet clothes. As he situated me in his arms, I clung to him, hissing as my fingers burrowed closer to his warm skin. He took off at a brisk jog, the slight breeze making me shiver that much harder as it dried the water on my skin.

"Hold on, Swan. We're almost there," Paul hushed when I started whimpering from the cold.

I nodded against his shoulder, unable to answer him with the way my teeth were chattering. The return of heat and feeling to my limbs was painful and I couldn't hold back my soft cries of pain. Paul's chest rumbled against my side as he nuzzled into my hair, murmuring soothingly.

"Oh my God! What happened?"

I looked up at the scream, unsurprised to see Emily running towards us from her car.

"Emily, can you get her some dry clothes and warm towels? I'm going to try to warm her up with my body heat, but blankets, towels, and dry clothes will help," Paul said as he carried me inside.

"Of course!" Emily gushed, hurrying to do as he asked.

Paul carried me inside, carefully maneuvering us through the doorway without bumping me against anything. I started when I noticed Jake sitting on the couch, an icepack to his head. Sam and Jared stood over him, frowning ferociously.

"Wh-what hap-p-pened?" I asked, unable to control my stutter just yet.

"Don't worry about it, Swan," Paul rumbled, glaring towards Jake.

"Are you alright, Bella?" Sam asked tenderly, coming to rest his hand on the top of my head, fingers brushing my hair back tenderly.

I nodded, realizing it would probably be best not to try and speak until I'd gained normal speech patterns back.

"I'm going to take her back into the guest room to warm up, if you need us," Paul told him.

"I think we have things under control here. Take care of your girl," Sam nodded.

My heart gave a little thrill when Sam addressed me as Paul's, despite the lingering pain. Maybe Paul had been telling the truth and the imprint really didn't matter. I was angry with my body, wanting to be able to ask questions, but knowing I needed to warm up and rest before I'd be able to talk to anyone about what had happened.

Paul laid me down on the guest bed before stripping me of my wet clothes. I didn't bother trying to help, knowing I wouldn't be able to manage with my trembling hands. Emily came bustling in while he was pulling off my pants, her arms laden with blankets and towels.

"I'm throwing some of my flannel pajamas in the dryer to warm them up, but I figured you would want these now," Emily explained, handing Paul the pile of material.

"Thanks, Em," Paul grinned weakly, layering the blankets over me.

She nodded once before disappearing from the room and heading towards the living room, no doubt to talk with Sam. Paul wrapped my body in towels, drying any lingering water from my limbs before viciously attacking my hair. I whimpered in protest, thinking about the mess of knots I would have to untangle eventually. Paul hushed me gently before tossing the towels into the corner of the room. I blinked when Paul stripped out of his shorts before crawling under the covers with me.

"Come here," Paul mumbled, shifting me against him.

I turned into his chest, hissing as my cold limbs tangled with his much hotter ones. He reached behind me, wrapping the blankets around us in a cocoon-like fashion until we were completely snug. Almost instantly, I could feel his heat chasing away the remaining ice in my body. Exhaustion weighed heavily on me as my tremors slowed, gradually stopping all together.

"Sleep, Swan. We'll talk when you wake up," Paul promised, kissing my forehead.

Burrowing further into his embrace, I allowed the day's events to wash away, pushing all the pain that had been dealt to the side. I knew I would have to address the imprint sometime, if only to learn what Rachel had that I didn't. Paul's heartbeat beneath my palm, along with his gentle humming, chased away the bad thoughts as I finally succumbed to sleep.


	17. Chapter 17: Answering Bella

**A/N: If you haven't given up on me yet, thank you for continuing to read. There's an important note at the bottom and I suggest you read it if you are enjoying this story.**

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Seventeen

**Paul's POV**

As Bella drifted off to sleep, my panic began to surface. Over and over, I saw her diving off the cliff, her body plummeting towards the harsh outcropping of rocks at the bottom. My body shook from the force of my emotions as I relived grabbing hold of her just before we hit the water, taking most of the impact on myself. Even so, I hadn't been able to keep her completely from harm. We had knocked against the rocks with the force of the current as I had struggled to bring us both to the surface.

The sight of her pale-blue body would not leave my head. I'd been absolutely fucking terrified that she was dead when I got her to shore. She'd been so still and in my horrified state, I had been unable to tell if she was breathing. Only my advanced hearing had assured me she still lived when it picked up on the gentle rhythm of her heartbeat. My fear hadn't even begun to abate until I saw her beautiful brown eyes open.

Then the anger had come. Anger at Jacob fucking Black for telling her about the fucking imprint. Anger at her for jumping of that fucking cliff. Anger at myself for not getting to her fucking sooner. Anger at Rachel for being my fucking imprint. If my wolf hadn't recognized her need for medical attention and body heat, I'd have likely whipped her ass then and there for putting herself in danger like that.

I knew there would be questions once she woke up, some of which I wouldn't be able to answer. A wolf hating the imprint had never happened in the history of the tribe and no one knew why the wolf wouldn't recognize Rachel as our intended mate. I had a few theories, but none I was willing to share until Bella and I had a chance to talk amongst ourselves.

And since that wouldn't be happening for probably a few more hours, I was left with nothing else to do but breathe in the sweet scent of my woman and hold her body close to mine. My wolf settled down, sighing contently as we tended our mate, happy to have her close again after so long apart.

Finally, after over a week without, I was able to sleep.

* * *

><p>I sat on the couch, my arm wrapped around Bella's shoulders as she huddled into my side. She was dressed in some of Emily's clothes, piled on three layers thick and still shivered occasionally. Her body had been feverish upon waking, but the stubborn woman had been adamant about hearing the whole story.<p>

"I still don't understand," Bella sighed after I'd gone over everything.

"What don't you understand?" I asked, rubbing my cheek against her soft hair.

"Why did you even imprint on her if the wolf doesn't want her as a mate?" Bella asked.

I looked to Sam, who had been sitting quietly in his armchair, only offering his opinion when we asked. Jared was out running with Jacob, keeping him away from me and my mate, but Bella and I had both wanted Sam with us while we talked.

"I think… if I hadn't met you and formed the bond with you, I would have imprinted on Rachel and been a real mate to her," I told her.

"But why did you still imprint on her?" Bella asked, sounding slightly accusatory as she leaned back to look at me.

"I don't know," I admitted, brushing her hair back.

Her face was flushed with her fever and her indignation as she glared at me, trying to tell if I was being honest or not.

"Bella," Sam murmured to catch her attention.

She turned in my arms, resting her back against my chest. I wrapped my arms across her chest, breathing deeply of her scent as she paid attention to Sam.

"Imprinting is supposed to be finding the perfect mate, for the wolf _and_ the imprint. Based off that, Paul and Rachel are perfect for each other," Sam started.

I tensed, growling at the implications Sam was posing to my Swan. Sam shot me a look, but said nothing until I stopped baring my teeth at him. Once I had gained control of myself, Sam turned his attention back to Bella.

"You changed that when you marked Paul. The wolf changed, recognizing you as its mate, but it doesn't change who Paul is. Rachel is still perfect for Paul, but the wolf cannot recognize her as its mate because you already hold that place for him. The wolf affects the way Paul sees Rachel because of your bond, making it impossible for Paul to even like the girl. It's why he had to spend so long around her, making sure he won't attack her if the three of you ever come in contact with each other," Sam explained.

"So… he's not going to leave me?" Bella asked, her voice soft with insecurity.

"No, Bella. He will never leave you," Sam vowed, staring directly into her eyes.

The sincerity in his voice would convince her more than any flowery sentiments and Sam knew it. When she leaned her head back to look at me, I nodded my head in agreement.

"I told you before, Swan. You're stuck with me," I teased, nibbling at her ear.

She shivered against me, though I knew it wasn't from the cold. Her body was flushed a rosy pink from her fever and her embarrassment. I smirked slightly when she let out a sudden yawn, betraying her need for more sleep.

"Come on, Swan. Let's get you back to bed," I suggested, lifting her easily.

She snuggled into me as I carried her back into the guest room, having only slept for a few hours before waking the last time. During that time, Sam had called Charlie to explain that Bella was going to stay with him and Emily for a few days. The Chief had been worried at first until Sam explained that Bella had caught a cold and Emily was taking care of her. Not used to caring for a sick daughter, Charlie had easily agreed to let Bella remain until she felt better.

I helped her get into bed, unable to resist the lure of settling down beside her. My wolf was anxious about leaving her alone, constantly reminding me just how close we had come to losing her.

As if I could forget.

"Do you think Sam is right?" Bella asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"About what?" I sighed, nosing her cheek.

"The wolf changing the way you see _Rachel_," Bella clarified, saying the other woman's name as if it were the foulest of words.

"I think that might be part of it. My wolf wants her gone, the sooner the better. I don't particularly care for her either. Without the thrall of the wolf urging me to mate with her, I can see her as she really is. A cold-hearted, narrow-minded, ice-bitch with a stick up her ass," I growled, my hatred of my imprint coming through loud and clear.

"I guess it just doesn't make sense to me," Bella huffed, pressing closer against me.

My hands traveled over her body slowly, taking her in as I was assaulted with her scent. It made conversation a little difficult, but I knew I had to ease her fears before they overwhelmed her.

"I don't have all the answers, Swan. This has never happened before. I can promise you, though, I will never leave you," I vowed, kissing the top of her head.

"But what if it changes? What if you see her again and decide you want her?" Bella pressed, her trembling voice letting me know this was her biggest fear.

Thankfully, it was something that I could ease her mind of.

"How much do you know about real wolves?" I asked first.

"Not much," Bella admitted, shrugging.

"Well, there are a lot of myths out there about how alike we are to each other. Usually in a real wolf pack, only the alpha male and alpha female mate, in order to keep the population down. Obviously, we aren't like them in that sense. Jared and Kim attest to that, as do you and I. Another is the whole marking theory. Sam and Jared have both marked their imprints, claiming them as their mates. After, Emily and Kim marked them back. You, little missy, did it backwards. Real wolves don't bite their mates. They mix their scents together, but that's the only way they stake their claim. Other than the obvious, of course," I smirked, pausing in my explanation.

Bella smiled and slapped my chest weakly. I grabbed hold of her hand, kissing her fingers reverently before continuing.

"Real wolves don't mate for life, either. Granted, most mated pairs do stay together their entire lives, but once one of the mates dies, the other will find another mate. That's yet another way we are different. Sam would not be able to move on from Emily were she to die, just as Jared would never move on from Kim. The girls might be able to move on, but it has never happened in our history. Imprinted pairs usually pass away fairly close together. The wolf almost never outlives his imprint by more than a week. It's too painful to go on without her…" I paused, the conversation having hit a little too close to home.

"What about us?" Bella asked, urging me to continue.

"The bond between imprints can be broken right up until the wolf marks his imprint. The imprint can reject the wolf, breaking the initial allure for the wolf. Once the mark is in place, the bond becomes unbreakable and the two are joined for life. Because you marked me, the bond was formed between us, despite the fact that I haven't marked you yet," I explained, kind of hoping she didn't catch that last word.

"So why did you still imprint on Rachel if we already have a bond?" Bella pressed, though she sounded calmer.

"Because Rachel is the equivalent to my place in the pack, making her the perfect mate under any other circumstance. Emily is an alpha female, Kim is a beta female, and Rachel is a gamma female," I told her.

"Then what am I?" Bella asked curiously.

I smiled, nuzzling her hair as I remembered having a similar conversation with Sam a few weeks ago.

"You're an omega female. Infinitely precious to the pack because they know you won't ever try to gain a higher position. You bring out the protective instincts in us, creating a bond that goes beyond simply being a pack sister or pack mate. It's why Sam and Emily are always so worried about you. You bring out their protective alpha instincts," I murmured.

She yawned then, bringing conversation to a stop.

"Get some sleep, Swan. We'll have time for more of your endless questions later," I promised.

"But-" Bella tried to argue.

"Rest. You won't get better if you don't rest," I cut her off, urging her head to my shoulder.

She sighed, her warm breath fanning across my chest as she settled into my hold. Gradually, her breathing even out and the mumbling started.

"Paul… my Paul… love you… so much," Bella murmured.

"I love you, too. So much," I repeated into her hair.

The heavy weight that had settled over my chest earlier after dragging her out of the water finally lifted. As I watched her sleep, smiling as she talked, I allowed myself to believe that we would both be okay.

* * *

><p><strong>I think I'm going to post one more chapter for this story. It will be an epilogue of sorts. From there, I think I might try out writing a sequel for those of you who want more of this story (thanks to xAngel-Of-Nightx for the idea). Information for the sequel will be up next chapter. If you did not like these past few chapters, I strongly suggest you not read the sequel. I can almost guarantee you that I will do stuff you don't like. It's just the way I write. But my characters always get their happy ending.<strong>

**Chapter Eighteen will be posted as soon as I write it and get it back from my pre-reader. **


	18. Chapter 18: Asking Bella

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Eighteen

**Bella's POV**

I sniffled harshly as I laid on the couch, flipping through channels to try and find something decent to watch. A box of tissues was beside me, untouched. Charlie seemed to think tissues and soup fixed everything. He wasn't entirely wrong about the soup, though my stomach had rolled restlessly for a few minutes, making me wonder if I was going to have to race to the bathroom.

Only I would manage to get the flu in the middle of spring.

I looked longingly at the phone, wondering if Paul would come keep me company. Maybe even rub my feet.

Our relationship had almost returned to normal after my poorly thought-out dive off the cliffs. Paul was as attentive as ever, constantly stopping by or encouraging me to make the drive to La Push. I had only been home for a week, but I had seen him every day. He even came over one night while Charlie was working the night shift and stayed with me. Of course, Charlie thought he'd slept on the couch, but it was impossible for either of us to fall asleep in the same house without being together.

Rachel had returned to school for her Master's Degree, making things much easier on the both of us. Paul hadn't seen her since he spent that entire week trying to force himself to at least tolerate her. He was worse than I was whenever somebody brought her up, growling threateningly and pulling me close to his side. Each time he did it, a little thrill went through me. He was mine and that bitch was never going to take him away from me.

The pack had been extremely apologetic about keeping the imprint from me, but I had simply waved them off. I understood why they had lied to me and was even a little grateful for it. If Paul had told me about it sooner, it would've created a week or more of doubt and insecurity on my part while Paul spent almost all of his time around Rachel, trying to figure out what was going on with the imprint. Granted, finding out the way I didn't wasn't ideal, but it was still better than finding out about the imprint right away. Paul was able to answer most of my questions and there was no doubt for either of us that he, in any way, shape, or form, cared for the girl the way he cared for me.

I realized I was still flipping through the channels and stopped, happily surprised when I found myself watching a televised version of Pride and Prejudice.

I was only a third of the way through the movie when Charlie came in, back from work.

"Hey, Dad," I greeted, not moving from my spot.

"Bells. There's a letter here for you," Charlie told me, coming into the living room.

"From who?" I asked, sitting up and frowning in confusion.

"Don't know. Why don't you open it and find out?" Charlie suggested, slightly sarcastic as he handed me the letter.

"Ha-ha. Very funny," I mock glared at him.

He chuckled as he walked into the kitchen, the fridge opening and closing a moment later.

I opened the envelope, surprised to find it was from the community college I had been taking classes in. Reading over the letter quickly, I squealed in delight before jumping off the couch.

"I'm going to La Push, Dad! Be back later," I called, throwing on a pair of shoes and a light jacket before darting out the door.

* * *

><p><strong>Paul's POV<strong>

I flicked through the channels on TV, bored out of my mind with nothing to do. Sam sat in the armchair beside me, reading over the paper since I couldn't decide on what to watch. Jared and Kim were sitting on the loveseat in a heavy lip-lock. Only Jacob was paying attention to my relentless surfing.

"Will you just pick something already?" Jacob growled.

"Shut up," I bit back, unwilling to listen to him whine.

I still hadn't forgiven him for letting it slip that I'd imprinted on Rachel. It had taken Bella over two weeks to get over the cold she'd caught by jumping off the cliff. Even now, she wasn't completely over it. When we'd spoken on the phone a few hours ago, she'd claimed to have a headache "the size of Texas". It would've been amusing if not for the pain clearly lacing her voice. I was more worried than I let on about her, but she seemed confident that it was just the last stretch of her cold.

"Ugh! Give me the damn thing," Jacob groaned, lunging for the remote.

I shoved him back, growling in warning when he moved to fight me for it. Sam sighed heavily, already used to the tension between me and the baby alpha. Jared and Kim didn't even bother to stop their make-out session.

"Oh, for the love of Pete! Take it outside if you're going to have a pissing contest," Emily snapped as she came into the living room.

She strode across the room, snatching the remote out of my hand and turning on some chick-flick movie before settling down on Sam's lap. Kim broke away from Jared, giving an excited "ooh" when she saw the movie on screen.

I huffed, resigned to watching the mushy mess of romance with my pack. It wouldn't be so bad if Bella was around. At least then I could maybe sneak in some moves.

As if my thoughts had conjured her, the sound of her truck roaring down the road assaulted my ears. I jumped eagerly from the couch, racing outside to meet her. Before the truck could creak to a stop, I had the door opened and her in my arms, breathing deeply of her unique scent.

"EEK! Guess what!" Bella squealed when I put her down.

"What?" I asked, smiling at her enthusiasm.

It was a refreshing change after the dreary way she'd been acting the past few weeks.

Instead of offering an answer, she pulled out of piece of paper and thrust it into my hands. Still smiling, I looked down to see a letter congratulating her on completely the requirements for her diploma.

"I've officially graduated!" Bella cheered, throwing her arms around my neck.

"That's great, Swan," I grinned, holding her close.

"I'm so excited. I've already talked to Charlie about colleges. The community college I took the classes at has already accepted my application, but Charlie wanted me to send out a few more. I'm thinking I'd rather stay with this one, though. I mean, I already know a lot of the professors I would be working with from all the emails I've had to send. Plus, I can take a lot of the classes online, which means I don't have to travel much. I've looked into their English department and it's supposed to be really good. Obviously not the best, but still really good. I'm thinking about maybe majoring in English Lit. I think I'd be good at that, don't you?" Bella babbled quickly in her excitement.

"I think you'd be great at it," I chuckled, kissing her temple.

She pulled back, her brown eyes sparkling as she looked into my own. My chest gave a violent tug as her fingers reached up to thread through my hair.

"I love you. You know that, right?" Bella asked, rubbing her nose against mine.

"I know. I love you, too," I smiled softly.

"I've missed you these past few days," Bella pouted.

"We saw each other every day, Swan," I pointed out with a grin.

"Yeah, but I miss spending all day with you," Bella sighed.

I leaned away from her slightly to look into her eyes. Was she trying to tell me something? Or was she just letting me know she had missed me? I couldn't tell, but I knew what I wanted.

I wanted us together all day and all night. I wanted to wake up to her bright smile and fall asleep to her gentle breathing. I wanted to cook dinner with her and clean the house with her.

I wanted to _be_ with her.

"Swan… I don't really have much to offer you, but… I want you to move in with me," I told her, taking hold of her hands in mine.

She stared up at me, her eyes wide and I began to feel nervous when she didn't respond.

"I mean… we wouldn't have to move in right away. And you can think about it, of course. Take all the time you need. I just… I miss you when you aren't with me and my wolf… he worries about you constantly. My house isn't very big. It was my parents, but it's mine now. We could fix it up any way you want… I just want to make you happy, Bella," I finished quietly, silently pleading that she would agree.

She started at my use of her first name, something I almost never did, but I wanted her to know I was serious about this. About us.

"Paul… of course I'll move in with you. But…" Bella trailed off, giving me an impish grin.

"But what?" I asked, slightly afraid.

"_You_ have to tell Charlie," Bella laughed, dragging me towards the house.

"What? Swan, no! He'll shoot me for sure," I insisted, only partially kidding.

"No, he won't. I'll protect you," Bella assured me, moving to kiss me briefly.

"Promise?" I asked.

"Promise," Bella winked as we walked in to tell the pack our good news.

As Kim and Emily surrounded Bella, smiling and squealing in congratulations, Sam and Jared slapped me on the back. Only Jacob was sullen about it, but neither I nor Bella paid him any mind. We were finally going to be happy and no immature pup was going to ruin that for us.

"This calls for a celebration," Jared said, throwing an arm around mine and Bella's shoulders.

"Bonfire?" Bella asked, smirking slightly.

"Definitely! What do you say, Sam? Let's throw these two crazy kids a house _warming_ party," Jared grinned, laughing at his own joke.

"Only if you promise not to make that joke ever again," Sam groaned, pulling Emily close.

"Deal," Jared sighed disappointedly.

"Come on, Bella. Kim. Let's get some food together," Emily ordered, leading us into the kitchen.

The bonfire later that day was filled with laughter as we sat around, sharing stories and throwing food at each other. Bella sat under my arm, she and Emily teasing Kim mercilessly about getting caught going at it like bunnies by Jared's mom. I laughed as Jared blushed, clearly uncomfortable with the way the conversation had gone. Sam watched it all with a smile, Emily perched on his lap. Even Jacob was laughing at Jared's rendition of the events.

With Bella leaning into my chest, my arms wrapped around her waist, surrounded by our pack, things seemed to just click into place. Bella would move in with me and the shack that was my house would become a home.

Life was almost perfect and Bella was totally, completely, mine.


End file.
